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#blood cells

8 public questions tagged with this topic.

Stem Cell -l

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can differentiate into:

Hematopoietic stem cells reside in bone marrow endosteal and perivascular niches, characterized by CD34, Sca-1, c-Kit markers in mouse. They are multipotent, giving rise to all blood lineages through stepwise commitment: common myeloid progenitor producing erythrocytes, platelets, granulocytes, monocytes, and common lymphoid progenitor producing B, T, and NK cells. Regulation involves transcription factors GATA1, PU.1, Ikaros, cytokines SCF, IL-3, IL-7. HSCs do not generate neurons, epithelial cells, or muscle fibers under normal physiology, maintaining strict hematopoietic fate through niche-derived Notch and Wnt signals.

Ref: Orkin & Zon, Cell 2008; Gilbert, 12th ed., Chapter 6: Hematopoietic stem cells.

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Stem Cell -l

What is the correct sequence of lineage commitment in hematopoietic differentiation?

Developmental potency narrows progressively as epigenetic restrictions and lineage-specific transcription factors accumulate. The zygote and early morula are totipotent, producing embryo plus placenta. With blastocyst formation, inner cell mass becomes pluripotent, forming all three germ layers ectoderm, mesoderm, endoderm but not trophectoderm. Subsequently, tissue-specific multipotent stem cells such as hematopoietic stem cells arise, limited to lineages within one germ layer. Finally, unipotent progenitors differentiate into single cell types like erythrocytes or spermatids. This totipotent to pluripotent to multipotent to unipotent hierarchy reflects irreversible chromatin condensation and loss of plasticity.

Ref: Gilbert, Developmental Biology, 12th ed., Chapter 6: Hierarchy of potency restriction.

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