hematopoietic stem cell

hematopoietic stem cell

Markers differ between species, and two sets of markers have been described for mice. HSCs are reportedly CD34-positive, CD45-positive, CD48-negative, CD150-positive, CD133-positive, and CD244-negative.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are multipotent cells, capable of differentiating into a wide variety of specialized blood cells. During embryonic development hematopoietic stem cells emerge from the hemogenic endothelium, a specialized subset of endothelial cells with hematopoietic potential. HSCs can be found in several organs, in particular in bone marrow, as well as peripheral blood and umbilical cord blood. These stem cells have a distinctive ability to self-renew, and to differentiate into all lymphoid and myeloid cell types that together form the blood and immune systems including erythrocytes (red blood cells), leukocytes (white blood cells), and platelets. Their primary function is to ensure the continuous replenishment of the blood and immune system throughout an individual's lifespan. In response to various signals, hematopoietic stem cells can either remain dormant or actively divide and differentiate. Under normal conditions, the majority of these stem cells exist in a quiescent (inactive) state, making them somewhat resistant to chemotherapy or radiation therapy in the treatment of various diseases such as leukemia. However, when the body encounters stress such as infection, bleeding, or disease, hematopoietic stem cells can rapidly become active in order to replenish the affected cells and maintain homeostasis. Furthermore, hematopoietic stem cells are extremely important in the field of regenerative medicine and transplantation. Regarded as lifesaving in the field of oncology, they are often extracted, purified, and reinfused back into the same (autologous transplantation) or different (allogeneic transplantation) individuals to reestablish a healthy, functioning hematopoietic and immune system after high-dose chemotherapy or to replace dysfunctional bone marrow. Understanding and manipulating the behavior of these stem cells has immense potential in treating various blood disorders, autoimmune diseases, and cancers. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.)

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CL:0000037

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