4] Avian hematopoietic cell culture: In vitro model systems to study oncogenic transformation of hematopoietic cells

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the avian hematopoietic cell culture. It reviews the various techniques that are available to transform hematopoietic progenitors from several lineages using specific oncogenes or their combinations. The chapter also presents in vitro model systems to study oncogenic transformation of hematopoietic cells. Hematopoietic cells are produced throughout the lifetime of an individual from a small set of stem cells. The progeny of these stem cells make decisions involving self-renewal and differentiation to give rise to the cells of the erythroid, myeloid, and lymphoid lineages. These cells either proliferate to expand a certain compartment, or differentiate along a lineage-specific pathway. Through a delicate balance between proliferation and differentiation, the numbers of the cells within various lineages are controlled and homeostasis is maintained. Avian hematopoietic cells provide a unique model system to study the normal and abnormal hematopoiesis, because of their long in vitro life span (30-50 generations), normal and oncogene-transformed avian hematopoietic cells can be grown into mass cultures. The chapter also describes the techniques developed for the growth and in vitro differentiation of normal chicken hematopoietic cells.