title: A comparison of stem cell populations and hemoglobin switching in normal versus beta-thalassemic mice.
abstract: The hematopoietic stem cell concentrations in tissues of homozygous beta-thalassemic and non-thalassemic fetuses and neonates were compared by using the spleen colony-forming units (CFU-S) assay. The relative quantities of embryonic and adult hemoglobins were also determined for fetuses. Beta-thalassemic fetuses had a reduced incidence of CFU-S in the liver throughout gestation, but after birth the beta-thalassemic neonates maintained a greater number of CFU-S in the liver for an extended period. The incidence of CFU-S in the bone marrow was not different for the two groups. The beta-thalassemic mice exhibited a significant expansion of CFU-S in the spleen beyond 11 days after birth. The switch from the synthesis of primarily embryonic to primarily adult hemoglobins in circulating erythrocytes in beta-thalassemic fetuses appeared later than the switch in normal fetuses. These observations establish that the developmental timing and expansion of hematopoiesis are perturbed in beta-thalassemic mice.
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Bolch
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Shinpock
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wawrzyniak
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Popp
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000502:physiology; D003114:Colony-Forming Units Assay; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009928:Organ Specificity; D013154:Spleen / Q000502:physiology; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins