This study was performed to evaluate the role of human microenvironmental cells in the metabolism of AcSDKP, a physiological inhibitor of hematopoietic stem cells. Using long-term marrow cultures (LTMCs), whose medium already contained a baseline value of AcSDKP, we found after 2 weeks a net output in the culture supernatant indicating that release by cells from the adherent layer was superior to consumption of the peptide. Since human microenvironmental cells consist of macrophages and vascular smooth-muscle-like stromal cells we generated pure populations of macrophages (by culturing cord blood cells in the presence of granulomonocytic colony-stimulating factor) and of stromal cells (generated by stromal colonies). We found in supernatants of macrophage cultures a significantly (p < 0.01) increased level of AcSDKP (compared with value in medium) while in supernatants of stromal cell cultures the level was decreased. Cell content of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in stromal cells was higher than in macrophages, which suggests a degradation of AcSDKP by stromal cells because of their higher amount of ACE. Finally, we analyzed the content of AcSDKP in adherent layers of LTMCs (with or without extracellular matrix [ECM] components), macrophages, and stromal cells. We found levels of AcSDKP of 1.5 pMol per 106 cells in extracts from macrophages or from stromal cells. On the contrary, extracts from primary layers of LTMCs contained 3 times more AcSDKP; however, after treatment of primary layers by collagenase, AcSDKP level fell to 1 pMol per 10(6) cells. Immunofluorescence using an anti-AcSDKP monoclonal antibody showed an extracellular network in certain areas of LTMCs. This study shows that 1) macrophages synthesize and release in the supernatant AcSDKP, 2) stromal cells probably degrade the peptide via ACE, and 3) components of the ECM from LTMCs serve as a reservoir for the peptide. These results are reminiscent of what has been described for growth factors, produced by microenvironmental cells, and stored in the ECM in close vicinity to hematopoietic precursors.