Document Type

Article

Embargo Period

4-1-1979

Publication Date

4-1-1979

Abstract

By using a methylcellulose clonal assay, we cultured peripheral blood erythropoietic precursors from a patient with sickle cell anemia, a patient with sickle cell hemoglobin C disease, and a normal volunteer. We then analyzed the synthetic rates of adult and fetal hemoglobins (Hb) in individual erythropoietic bursts. Hb were labeled with 14C-amino acids in culture, separated by slab gel isoelectric focusing techniques, and quantitated by fluorographic methods. All bursts exhibited both fetal and adult Hb in varying ratios. Frequency distributions of the individual bursts differing in percentage of HbF biosynthesis approached normal distributions. Further stimulation of HbF synthesis by higher erythropoietin in culture was associated with increased HbF biosynthesis in individual bursts. Augmentation of human HbF synthesis in culture appears to be controlled by (qualitative intracellular changes rather than by changes in cellular population.

Journal

Journal of Clinical Investigation

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