Expression of congenital defects in the haemopoietic micro-environment. Erythroid and granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells in pre-natal 'steel' (Slj/Slj) anaemic mice.

The erythropietin sensitivities of dissociated cell cultures and explanted fragments of fetal livers of congenitally anaemic Slj/Slj mice, and their normal littermates, have been compared. The erythropoietin responsiveness of Slj/Slj foetal liver cells is deficient in both types of culture. The maximum liver complement of erythroid colony forming cells (CFUe) occurs on the 16th day of development when 'normal' livers contain approximately 6 X 10(5) erythroid colony forming cells/liver. In Slj/Slj fetuses the maximum reached is only 1 X 10(5). Granulocyte-macrophage colony forming cells (CFUc) in Slj/Slj fetal livers are also reduced to approximately 60% of normal numbers. Erythroid colony forming cells are also reduced in the spleen and femoral bone marrow of Slj/Slj mice in the 2-3 days preceding birth. Granulocyte-macrophage colony forming cells are rare in the femoral marrow of pre-natal Slj/Slj mice, but their production in the Slj/Slj pre-natal spleen appears unaffected.