Normal human granulopoiesis revisited. I. Blood data.

The absence of an unquestionable label to study the components of normal granulopoiesis leads experimentalists to design and develop numerous different techniques. An extensive review of the corresponding human data is performed concerning blood granulocyte cellularity, sojourn time and turnover rate, bone marrow neutrophil cellularity, production, mitotic activities, kinetic parameters and differential cell counts. Advantages and pitfalls relevant to each experimental procedure are discussed. Results obtained from recently devised experimental designs are included and compared to the results derived from more classical techniques. In particular data concerning blood granulocytes obtained through the in vitro labelling procedure using either diisopropylfluorophosphate or radiochromate are re-visited in the light of recently published results derived from techniques using a pulse or a continuous infusion of tritiated thymidine. Although some questions remain, particularly concerning bone marrow differential cell counts, reference data are proposed to elaborate a complete and coherent scheme of normal human neutrophilic granulopoiesis.