Myelopoiesis in the presence of stromal cells from mouse bone marrow: II. Mechanism of glucose dependent colony formation.

The inhibition of myeloid colony formation exerted by adherent bone marrow cells could be relieved by various non-metabolized methylglycosides and also by the free sugar D-glucose. The formation of colonies in the presence of the latter had, however, a number of distinct features. To test whether the effect of D-glucose was due to its metabolism, we tried to mimic the glucose effect by pyruvate and lactate. These could not induce colony formation in the presence of bone marrow stromal cells. Glucose-induced colonies could also form on top of agar overlayering the adherent cells. It therefore appears that stromal cells produce a stimulator of myelopoiesis which is glucose-dependent. This factor is capable of partially overcoming the activity of the inhibitor concomitantly produced by stromal cells.