Haematopoietic cell-fate decisions, chromatin regulation and ikaros

Katia Georgopoulos1

  • 1CBRC, MGH East, 13th St, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA. katia.georgopoulos@cbrc2.mgh.harvard.edu

The regulated production of several terminally differentiated cell types of the blood and immune systems (haematopoiesis) has been the focus of many studies on cell-fate determination. Chromatin and the control of its structure have been implicated in the regulation of cell-fate decisions and in the maintenance of the determined states. Here, I review advances in the field, emphasizing the potential role of chromatin in lineage commitment and differentiation. In this context, I discuss Ikaros, an essential regulator of lymphocyte development and an integral component of a functionally diverse chromatin remodelling network that operates from the early stages of haematopoiesis to the mature lymphocytes.

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