The Formation of Foetal and Adult Haemoglobin in Cell Cultures of Neonatal Calf Marrow

Abstract

S ummary Neonatal erythroid cells in the bovine respond to erythropoietin in vitro with a pari passu increase in the synthesis of both foetal and adult haemoglobins. With marked stimulation the effect upon the latter predominates. The conditions of cell culture, however, promote the formation of a protein with chromatographic characteristics of foetal gamma‐globin subunits, quite independently of the presence of erythropoietin or of haem synthesis. The results suggest that erythropoietin might be assigned a significant although indirect role in the gradual switchover of haemoglobin types during development.