Sulfhydryl dependence in primary explant hematopoietic cells. Inhibition of growth in vitro with vitamin B12 compounds.

Primary explants of P388, EL-4, and L1210 murine leukemia cells and of normal mouse bone marrow are shown to require sulfhydryl compounds for proliferation in vitro. Nine extablished cell lines show no stimulation by these compounds. Leukemia cells can lose the sulfhydryl dependence after various periods of adaptation to in vitro culture. Various sulfhydryl compounds have widely differing potencies in promoting in vitro proliferation of dependent cells. The effect appears to be specific for sulfhydryl groups in the reduced form. Vitamin B12 compounds inhibit the growth of sulfhydryl-requiring cells, apparently by catalyzing the oxidation of the sulfhydryl groups.