Hematopoietic progenitor colony formation in the immunopathogenesis of the autoimmune disorder in MRL/MpJ-lpr mice.

Lymphocyte proliferation and apoptosis at different stages of the development of the autoimmune disorder in MRL/MpJ-lpr mice was studied. Hematopoietic progenitor colony formation during the course of the disease was characterized. A detectable difference at the level of lymphocyte proliferation, apoptosis, and the relative amount of BFU-E, CFU-GM and CFU-GEMM cell colonies was revealed between healthy young mice and animals spontaneously developing pronounced symptoms of the autoimmune disorder.