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Assaying Blood Cell Populations of the Drosophila melanogaster Larva
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Functional conservation of hematopoietic factors in Drosophila and vertebrates

N Fossett1, R A Schulz

  • 1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Graduate Program in Genes & Development, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston 77030, USA. nfossett@odin.mdacc.tmc.edu

Differentiation; Research in Biological Diversity
|January 19, 2002
PubMed

The GATA, Friend of GATA, and Runt homology domain protein families function during hematopoiesis to promote progenitor cell development and regulate lineage commitment and differentiation. The hematopoietic functions of these factors have been remarkably conserved across taxonomic groups, ranging from flies to humans. Furthermore, aspects of hematopoiesis and hemocyte function appear to be conserved. Thus, comparative studies using Drosophila and vertebrate models should enhance our understanding of blood cell development.

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