In Vitro Growth of Granulocytic Colonies From Circulating Cells in Human Cord Blood

Human umbilical cord blood cells from 26 newborn infants and peripheral blood cells from 18 adults were cultured in vitro by using the agar-gel method of human hemopoietic cell culture. An increased concentration of colony-forming cells was seen in the cord blood cultures. Between 17 and 385 colonies, with a mean of 122, were formed in these cultures per 2 x 105 nucleated cells plated. The peripheral blood cell cultures from adults gave rise to 0-11 colonies, with a mean of 3, per 2 x 105 nucleated cells plated. The average number of cells per colony was 1000-1500 cells after 14 days of culture, predominantly granulocytic.