Murine osteoblastlike cells and the osteogenic cell MC3T3-E1 release a macrophage colony-stimulating activity in culture.

The osteoclast may be of hematopoietic lineage and as such its development could be regulated by colony-stimulating factors. Since there is much interest as to whether osteoblasts influence bone resorption, we examined whether bone cells produce colony-stimulating activity. Both cells isolated from neonatal calvaria and the osteogenic cell MC3T3-E1 were found to constitutively release a colony-stimulating activity possessing characteristics of a macrophage colony-stimulating factor, as determined by basic biochemical purification and by identity of colonies induced in cultures of bone marrow cells. Release could be increased by the presence of the bone-resorbing agents lipopolysaccharide and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3. We conclude that the osteoblast may contribute to both the processes of osteoclast formation and of hematopoiesis through the secretion of colony-stimulating activity into the adjacent bone marrow.