Temperature-dependent inhibition of murine granulocyte-monocyte precursors.

The response of nucleated bone marrow cells from C3H mice to hyperthermic temperatures of 41.5 to 49.5 degrees for a fixed heating period of 30 min has been determined. The threshold temperatures for cell lysis, loss of trypan blue exclusion, and histological evidence of cell injury were greater than 49.5 degrees, 45.5 degrees and 43.5 degrees, respectively. Growth of mature granulocyte-monocytes from precursors was evaluated in Millipore diffusion chamber culture. There was a biphasic decrease in granulocyte-monocyte growth after exposure to temperatures of 41.5 to 45.5 degrees. The ratio of granulocytes to monocytes in proliferated cultures was not altered after hyperthermia. Pluripotent and committed granuloid stem cells were assayed by the spleen colony and plasma clot diffusion chamber techniques. These also showed a biphasic decrease with increase in temperature, with committed stem cells having a greater thermal sensitivity at lower temperatures.