We investigated the ability of endothelial cells (EC) to support hematopoiesis in contact and non-contact cocultures with isolated CD34+ or CD34/CD38low cells. In the absence of exogenous cytokines, umbilical vein EC (HUVEC) efficiently support proliferation of hematopoietic cells and generation of colony-forming cells (CFC). Cytokines (IL-6, LIF, G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, but not IL-1, IL-3, IL-7) were detected in HUVEC coculture supernatants. Neutralization of these cytokines profoundly inhibited the ability of EC supernatants to support the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors and led to an accumulation of immature cells. Contact cocultures were significantly more efficient than non-contact cocultures. The expanded cell population essentially belonged to the myeloid and monocytic lineages. Contact cocultures generated cells expressing the CD61 or CD41 antigens. Interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) augmented EC capacity to support hematopoiesis, this property resulting from the upregulation of cytokine expression. Glucocorticoids (GC) reduced this capacity by downregulating the biosynthesis of cytokines by EC and not by a direct effect on the progenitor cells. EC from the bone marrow microvasculature (BMEC) support the proliferation and the differentiation of hematopoietic progenitors. Synergistic increase in progenitor cells expansion and generation of CFC occurred when EC cocultures were added with exogenous cytokines. Supernatants of IL-1alpha-stimulated EC potentiated the effects of an association of IL-1, IL-3, IL-6, LIF, SCF, Flt3-ligand, TPO, G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF and IL-11 on the proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors suggesting that EC may produce other soluble growth factors potentiating the action of the above set of cytokines.