Studies on Leukemia in the C58 Strain of Mice Part 3. Diagnosis and Differentiation of Mouse Leukemia by the Simplified Tissue Culture Method

The simplified tissue culture method and the fluorochrominized tissue culture method devised in our laboratory were applied to the bone marrow, spleen and lymph node of the leukemic mice of C58 strain for the purpose of diagnosis and differentiation of leukemia. And following results were obtained; 1. In the case of spontaneous leukemia, tissue culture of the lymph node and spleen showed sharply defined growth zone with increased cell density which is the characteric pattern of acute leukemia. The bone marrow showed rather diffuse border of growth zone with the appearances of many migrating neutrophiles, but cell density was remarkably increased and many leukemic cells appeared in the growth zone. 2. In the case of myelogenos leukemia, the bone marrow culture showed so-called double growth zone which is characteristic of chronic leukemia. On the other hand, the lymph node and the spleen showed diffuse border of the growth zone with increased cell density. Numerouse immature and mature neutrophilic cells appeared in the growth zone. 3. By the fluorochrominized tissue culture method, the lymph node and the spleen of lymphatic leukemia showed typical lekemic growth zone and gave diffuse yellowish-green color due to the cytoplasmic and nuclcar fluorescence of lymphoblasts and other lymphoid cells. On the other hand, the bone marrow, spleen and lymph node of myelogenous leukemia showed relatively diffuse pattern and the inner part of the growth zone gave greenish fluorescence due to the cytoplasm and nucleus of immature leukemic cell, but in the periphery of the growth zone, reddish-orange color was predominant due to the fluoresceuce of cytoplasmic granules of mature neutrophiles. In conclusion, the lymph node and spleen in lymphatic leukemia and the bone marrow in myelogenous leukemia showed typical leukemic growth zone respectively and these findings are useful for the differential diagnosis of mouse leukemia.