Adhesion and homing of blood-borne cells in bone marrow microvessels

After birth, the bone marrow (BM) is the principal site of hematopoiesis in mammals. Thus, a large number of newly formed blood cells must penetrate the wall of BM microvessels to enter the circulation. In addition, the BM appears to function as a lymphoid organ and is also part of the macrophagal system. Subsets of circulating lymphocytes and other cells of the immune system continuously home to the BM. However, neither the mechanisms of blood cell migration to and from the BM nor its precise role in the immune system are well understood. One reason for the relative paucity of data on BM physiology is the fact that normal BM is surrounded by thick cortical bone that impedes direct observation and experimental manipulation. One notable exception is the calvaria of the murine skull where hematopoietically active BM is only covered by a thin lamella of bone that is sufficiently translucent to allow a detailed in situ analysis of the BM microcirculation by epi-fluorescence microscopy. Here, we review our current knowledge of the anatomic, hemodynamic, and endothelial properties of the specialized microvascular bed within murine skull BM. In addition, we summarize recent studies on the molecular mechanisms that mediate the homing of circulating hematopoietic progenitor cells to the BM, an event that is critical for the success of BM transplantations.