Compartmentalized growth of hemopoietic stem cells within mouse Friend leukemic spleens.

A dose of 4000 rads (r) to the central portion of mouse spleens followed by Friend erythroleukemic virus infection created independent compartments where hemopoietic stem cells exhibited distinct growth kinetics. Rather than suggesting autonomous proliferation, the stem cell kinetics were indicative of the control exercised by the local microenvironment upon stem cell growth within each compartment.