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The ability of Friend erythroleukemic cells to bind transferrin and take up its iron increases substantially as a result of dimethyl sulfoxide-stimulated differentiation. Although transferrin-binding activity is also demonstrable in another mouse cell line of hematopoietic origin, the lymphoma cell, it does not increase on exposure to dimethyl sulfoxide. Gel filtration studies corroborate that the binding of transferrin to the erythroleukemic cells is due to the formation of a specific complex of transferrin and a membrane receptor. Thus, the specific interaction of transferrin with its receptor is another expression of dimethyl sulfoxide-induced differentiation in the Friend cell.

In the Modern Era, physicians attested to the reciprocal influence among a technologically advanced society, rapid scientific progresses in medicine, and the need for new antimicrobials. The results of these changes were not only seen in the prolongation of life expectancy but also by the emergence of new pathogens. We first observed the advent of Gram-negative bacteria as a major source of nosocomial infections. The treatment of these microorganisms was complicated by the appearance and spread of drug resistance. We first focused on the development of two major classes of antimicrobials still currently used for the treatment of Gram-negative bacteria, such as fluoroquinolones and carbapenemes. Subsequently, we directed our attention to the growth of the incidence of infections due to Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Although the first MRSA was already isolated in 1961, the treatment of this new pathogen has been based on the efficacy of vancomycin for more than four decades. Only in the last 15 yr, we assisted in the development of new antimicrobial agents such as linezolid and daptomycin.

Subtle vancomycin MIC differences did not correlate with worse outcomes for vancomycin monotherapy or for vancomycin/rifampicin co-therapy in MRSA bacteraemia. Regardless of the exact MIC-outcome relationship, detecting such small MIC differences seems unlikely to be reliable in routine laboratories.

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