Macrophages promote development of human erythroid precursors in transferrin-free culture medium

Iron is mandatory for cell growth and development. Erythroid precursors need iron to a greater degree for hemoglobinization. Culturing erythroid precursors under serum and transferrin-free conditions resulted in their death, whereas under the same conditions, but in the presence of macrophages erythroid cell growth and development was evident as measured by hemoglobin (Hb)-specific cytochemical staining, flow cytometric immuno-staining of glycophorin A and Hb quantitation by a spectrophotometric method as well as by high performance liquid chromatography. Thus, macrophages support erythroid cell growth in the absence of transferrin, most likely by providing iron.