Blood, 1959, Vol. 14, No. 6, pp. 668-682.
© 1959 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
Studies of the Production and Life Span of
Erythrocytes in Myeloid Metaplasia
DAVID G. NATHAN 1 and
NATHANIEL I. BERLIN 1
1 Metabolism Service, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health,
Bethesda, Md.
1. Four patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia and one patient with
polycythemia vera and myeloid metaplasia were studied with Fe59, Cr51 and
glycine-2-C14.
2. Three of the patients with agnogenic myeloid metaplasia had active
splenic, hepatic or renal erythropoiesis. One had deficient erythropoiesis.
3. The red cell life span was short in all of the patients with agnogenic
myeloid metaplasia, definite splenic sequestration occurring in two patients.
The red cell life span was normal in the patient with polycythemia vera and
myeloid metaplasia.
4. The possible indications for splenectomy were discussed.
Submitted on July 25, 1958
Accepted on October 12, 1958
