Introduction

Abstract

Significant advances have been made over the past several years which have led to a better understanding of the mechanism of the effects of drugs on blood and blood-forming organs. A very important advance has been made in the purification of several growth factors, such as erythropoietin and several colony stimulating factors, which are important in regulating the production of red blood cells, leukocytes, megakaryocytes, and platelets. Numerous toxic chemical substances in our environment, to which people are exposed daily, also produce suppression of erythropoiesis, myelopoiesis, and megakaryocytopoiesis. It is the purpose of this volume to provide an update on the mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, and toxic manifestations of chemical agents which affect blood and blood-forming organs. The first part includes an introductory chapter on the fundamental mechanism involved in the control of hematopoiesis, covering the responsible growth factors and describing the major hematopoietic Uneages stimulated by factors such as erythropoietin, macrophage colony stimulating factor (CSF), granulocyte CSF, IL-1α, β, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 9. Major consideration is also given to clonigenic progenitors which affect the normal human adult marrow such as erythroid (CFU-E, BFU-E) and granulocytic-macrophage (CFU-GM) colony stimulating factors.