Effect of Various Cell-Dispersing Methods on Ability of Mouse Fetal Liver to Protect Irradiated Mice. I. Cultured Fetal Liver. ∗

Summary

Cells from mouse fetal liver were dispersed by means of trypsin, pancreatin, oxoid pancreatin, elastase, trypsin plus methocel or pancreatin plus methocel. Dispersed cells were grown in tissue culture for 4–13 days and monolayers harvested with the same enzyme used for dispersion of cells from fresh tissue. Cultured cells were injected intravenously into lethally irradiated mice. Cells dispersed with trypsin and methocel and grown for 7 days protected 22% of lethally irradiated mice. Mean survival time of treated mice was 8 days longer than controls. Cultured cells dispersed with other enzymes did not protect irradiated mice nor was their survival time prolonged. It is concluded that the multipotential cell responsible for seeding bone marrow is extremely sensitive to manipulation.