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Possible influence of most frequently encountered types of pathology during pregnancy on the cell composition of umbilical cord blood was studied. These pathologies included: treated iron-deficiency anemia, essential hypertension, threatening spontaneous abortion. A number and proliferative potential of granulocyte-macrophage precursor cells of umbilical cord blood were studied by agar drop-liquid media culture method. It was found that the types of pathology studied do not influence cell composition, number and proliferative potential of granulocyte-macrophage precursor cells from umbilical cord blood. These results show that umbilical cord blood after pathological pregnancy can be considered as a source of transplantable hemopoietic cells.

The effect of methylprednisolone [MP) in the concentration 10(-7) M on cloning capacity and proliferative potential of splenic and medullary stromal fibroblast precursors was studied in hematologically normal children. Medullary fibroblast culturing was performed according to A. Ya. Fridenstein method, splenic fibroblast culturing by an original procedure proposed by the authors. MP stimulated proliferation of human marrow clonogenic fibroblasts more profoundly than a xenogenic feeder could do. A successive introduction of MP and the feeder gives no rise to synergism, while their simultaneous application induces a blocking effect. Basing on these findings it is suggested that MP and the feeder compete for the same receptors on the adhesive cells of the explant. Splenic fibroblasts proved sensitive to neither xenogenic feeder nor to MP in concentration 10(-7) M.

The role of T-lymphocytes, bearing antigens Lyt-1, Lyt-2 and L3T4, in regulation of the functional activity of blood-forming precursor cells of syngen and non-syngen origin was investigated. The treatment of cells of murine lymphatic nidi with monoclonal antibodies to the above antigens and with the complement did not abolish the capacity of T-lymphocytes of controlling proliferation and differentiation of syngen and allogen blood-forming precursor cells. The subpopulation characteristics of lymphocytes interacting with the stem cells is discussed.

We have detected and characterized a subpopulation of immunoregulatory cells, i.e., B-helpers capable to enhance the activity of Td-lymphocytes and controlling differentiation of syngeneic hemopoietic stem cells in mouse spleen and bone marrow. B-helpers found in the spleen and lymphatic nodes are resistant to radiation (at a dose of 6 Gr) but are impaired when irradiated at 9 Gr. Manifestation of the helper activity does not require either DNA or RNA synthesis but depends on protein synthesis and is mediated by soluble transmitter substances. Initial activation of B-helpers by lipopolysaccharide or alloantigens does not affect their helper functions. In the absence of T-lymphocytes B-cells do not affect differentiation of hemopoietic stem cells; interaction of B-helpers with differentiating Td-lymphocytes is not genetically restricted. Using preparative electrophoresis, we could isolate fractions of Td-lymphocytes which require or do not require B-helper cells in order to induce change in differentiation of hemopoietic stem cells from mainly erythroid to preferentially granulocyte pathway.

The lymph node cells were treated with monoclonal anti-Lyt-3 antibodies (anti-Lyt-3) and complement. Their interaction with colony-forming units (CFU) of bone marrow was studied. Anti-Lyt-3 did not affect the activity of T-lymphocytes, which changed the pattern of syngenic CFU differentiation in spleen of irradiated mice. On the contrary, the activity of T-lymphocytes, which inactivated proliferation and differentiation of non-syngenic CFU in spleen, was decreased. In the peritoneal cavity of irradiated mice antibodies did not affect the activity of T-lymphocytes which suppressed the colony-formation of non-syngenic stem cells and switched off the activity of T-lymphocytes that stimulated syngenic CFU colony-formation. The subpopulation characteristics of regulatory and effector T-cells has been analysed.

The influence of myelopeptides on differentiation of bone marrow haemopoietic precursors cells in thymectomized and normal mice has been studied in vivo. The introduction of myelopeptides decreased the number of erythroid (E) colonies and increased that of granulocytic ones (G). This results in the decrease of initially raised E/G ratio in thymectomized mice (from 4.3) down to 1.3). Myelopeptides exerted no influence on haemopoietic precursors in normal mice (E/G-2.0).

No colonies were found in the spleen at "early" times (7-8 days) after irradiation of mice with doses of 8-9 Gy, while at "later" times (after 15 days) a confluent growth of the colonies was observed. The endogenous splenic foci of haemopoiesis of the "late" type were characterized by the preferable growth of granulocytic colonies.

The formation of "early" (5-8 days) and "late" (12-14 days) colonies in spleen of lethally irradiated syngeneic or hybrid recipients after transplantation of bone marrow cells has been studied. The differentiation pattern did not depend on bone marrow cell donor's genotype and the donor-recipient combination. Erythroid to granulocyte colonies ratio (E/G) equals 2. Change of direction of bone marrow colony-forming units (CFU) differentiation has the same pattern at different stages of colony-formation. Under the influence of antigen-stimulated lymphocytes the granulopoiesis (E/G 0.3-0.5) dominanted. The thymectomy of adult animals leads to a predominant formation of erythroid colonies (E/G 3.5-5.1). When T-immunodeficiency is reversed with syngeneic lymphocytes, the differentiation of CFU is normalized at all stages of colony-formation. The process of differentiation of haemopoietic precursors, that form "early" and "late" colonies, is under T-lymphocyte control.

The paper submits the results of studies on the kinetics of spermatogenous epithelium cell number after exposure to fast neutrons (60-300 cGy) and gamma-radiation (200-600 cGy). It was shown that a relative decrease in the quantity of spermatocytes is determined by an exponential dose-response curve with D0 of 35 and 120 cGy for neutrons and gamma-radiation respectively. For spermatides and spermatozoa a single D0 value of 20 and 55 cGy was obtained for neutrons and gamma-radiation respectively. As the radiation dose increases the recovery process in the epithelium is substantially decelerated. The equation T1/2 = T1/2(0)e0.0009D well describes the dependence of the half-recovery period T1/2 upon the equivalent dose.