Hematopoietic colony-forming cells from mice after wound trauma.

The changes produced in the pluripotential and progenitor cell compartments of the hind leg bone marrow and spleen of skin-wounded mice were examined over a 2-week post-trauma period. Pluripotent cells (colony-forming unit-spleen, CFU-s) were significantly increased in the spleen and slightly reduced in the leg marrow the first week after trauma. Granulocyte macrophage colony-forming cells (GM-CFC) were significantly increased in the spleen throughout the 2-week period and were increased in the leg marrow during the first post-trauma week. Macrophage colony-forming cells (M-CFC) were significantly decreased in the spleen during the 2-week period and were slightly elevated in the leg marrow during that time. The peripheral blood contained significantly increased concentrations of CFU-s and GM-CFC but not M-CFC. Serum of wounded mice supported growth of GM-CFC but not M-CFC. The growth-promoting factor was extractable by CHCl3 treatment. Serum C-reactive protein concentrations were significantly increased for a 5-day period after wound trauma.