Developmental changes in hematopoietic stem cell properties.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) comprise a rare population of cells that can regenerate and maintain lifelong blood cell production. This functionality is achieved through their ability to undergo many divisions without activating a poised, but latent, capacity for differentiation into multiple blood cell types. Throughout life, HSCs undergo sequential changes in several key properties. These affect mechanisms that regulate the self-renewal, turnover and differentiation of HSCs as well as the properties of the committed progenitors and terminally differentiated cells derived from them. Recent findings point to the Lin28b-let-7 pathway as a master regulator of many of these changes with important implications for the clinical use of HSCs for marrow rescue and gene therapy, as well as furthering our understanding of the different pathogenesis of childhood and adult-onset leukemia.
Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Michael R
MR
Copley
Connie J
CJ
Eaves
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D025743:HMGA2 Protein; D035683:MicroRNAs; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins