LONG-TERM HUMAN HEMATOPOIESIS IN THE SCID-HU MOUSE

THE HETEROCHIMERIC SCID-HU MOUSE IS CONSTRUCTED BY TRANSPLANTATION OF HUMAN FETAL HEMATOLYMPHOID TISSUES INTO THE IMMUNODEFICIENT C-B-17 SCID/SCID (SCID) MOUSE. THE GOALOF THIS PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH ACTIVE LONG-TERM HUMAN HEMATOPOIESIS IN THE SCID MOUSE SO THAT THE STUDIES ON HUMANHEMATOPOIESIS CAN BE CONDUCTED IN VIVO. TWO APPROACHES WILL BE TAKEN: (1) CO-IMPLANTATION OF HUMAN FETAL LIVER WITH THYMUS, AND (2) IMPLANTATION OF WHOLE HUMANBONE. BECAUSE BOTH SYSTEMS HAVE SHOWN PROMISE IN PRELIMINARY STUDIES, MORE EXTENSIVE STUDIES TO OPTIMIZE AND TO ESTABLISH REPRODUCIBILITY WILL BE PERFORMED. SUCCESSFUL IMPLANTATION OF HUMAN BONE MARROW OR ITS EQUIVALENT ORGAN IN THE SCID-HU MOUSE WOULD PROVIDE A POWERFUL TOOL AS A READ-OUT ASSAY FOR HUMAN HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS AND MIGHT ALSO SERVE AS AN IN VIVO SYSTEM IN WHICH TO STUDY HUMAN HEMATOPOIETIC DISEASE STATES.