Fetal liver hemopoiesis

Liver hematopoiesis was studied in 21 non-medicinally induced aborted fetuses of 3 to 9 months. Main hemopoietic cell components, PAS score of erythroblasts and GM-CFU-C concentration were assessed in 21.6, and 11 cases respectively. The result showed that: various stages of developing myloid erythroid cells, megakaryocytes and lymphocytes could be seen in the fetal liver smears. Erythropoietic cells predominated throughout the fetal life, with a peak in 3 1/2 month. Red cells were 8.02·8.82 μ in diameter with no or little central pallor until the 8th month. PAS scores of nucleated red cells were 27 in the 5th month fetus and 29 in the 6th month fetus. The content of lymphocytes increased along with the growth of fetus. The incidence of GM-CFU-C was higher in the 5th month fetus and there was no correlation between the myeloid and GMCFU-C content. The colonies from fetal liver were larger and more in number than those from adult bone marrow.