Diffusible inhibitors and stimulators are involved in the regulation of bone marrow pluripotent stem cell (CFU-S) proliferation. We have previously shown the existence of CFU-S inhibitors in foetal calf marrow and liver and have started their purification. The lack of a simple and time-saving test to determine the kinetic state of CFU-S and the activity of the inhibitors led us to explore the possibility of a biochemical proliferation marker that could be used for screening purpose. Since it was shown that cyclic AMP was implicated in the regulation of CFU-S proliferation, it was of interest to study the variations in cAMP levels after stimulation and inhibition of CFU-S entry into cycle. The results of in vitro experiments showed that the increase in cAMP levels observed in bone marrow cells after incubation with different haemopoietic stimulators was specific neither for bone marrow cells nor for the various haematopoietic regulators. In the in vivo experiments, an increased cAMP level was observed 8 hr after one injection of Ara-C at the time when CFU-S are recruited into S phase. However, no modification of cAMP levels has been observed after injection of CFU-S inhibitors in the Ara-C-treated mice. Although cAMP does not seem to be a suitable marker for testing the activity of inhibitory fractions during the purification process, this work has contributed to the study of CFU-S stimulators.