ABSTRACT
More than 20 hematopoietic cytokines and growth factors are approved, currendy under investigation or near approval. Figure 9.1 summarizes the regulation of hematopoiesis by growth factors. Colony stimulating factors, in general, act by binding to specific cell surface receptors and stimulating proliferation, differentia tion, commitment and selected end-cell functions. Cytokines have multiple com plex effects other than hematopoiesis giving rise to the term cytokine network. Some of the various effects of cytokines are listed in Table 9.1. FILGRASTIM (HUMAN GRANULOCYTE-COLONY STIMULATING FACTOR, G-CSF) A) Pharmacology of G-CSF
G-CSF is a nonglycosylated recombinant human protein produced byE. coli using recombinant DNA technology. The activity of G-CSF is limited to the neutrophil pathway of stem cell development. It promotes neutrophil prolif eration, differentiation and enhanced phagocytic ability. It has no effect on other cell lines including red cells or platelets.
