title: Hematopoietic stem cell origin of connective tissues.
abstract: Connective tissue consists of "connective tissue proper," which is further divided into loose and dense (fibrous) connective tissues and "specialized connective tissues." Specialized connective tissues consist of blood, adipose tissue, cartilage, and bone. In both loose and dense connective tissues, the principal cellular element is fibroblasts. It has been generally believed that all cellular elements of connective tissue, including fibroblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and bone cells, are generated solely by mesenchymal stem cells. Recently, a number of studies, including those from our laboratory based on transplantation of single hematopoietic stem cells, strongly suggested a hematopoietic stem cell origin of these adult mesenchymal tissues. This review summarizes the experimental evidence for this new paradigm and discusses its translational implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC29401-5799, USA. ogawam@musc.edu
authors.forename: Makio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Amanda C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Larue
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Dennis K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003238:Connective Tissue; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006801:Humans