Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 29, 2026

Direct Induction of Hemogenic Endothelium and Blood by Overexpression of Transcription Factors in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
08:14

Direct Induction of Hemogenic Endothelium and Blood by Overexpression of Transcription Factors in Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: December 3, 2015

Stem cell factor can stimulate the formation of eosinophils by two types of murine eosinophil progenitor cells

Donald Metcalf1, Sandra Mifsud, Ladina Di Rago

  • 1Division of Cancer and Hematology, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Australia. metcalf@wehi.edu.au

Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|September 28, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Stem cell factor (SCF) stimulates eosinophil formation, a previously unrecognized role. This finding expands the known list of cytokines, including granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and IL-3, that influence eosinophil production.

Area of Science:

  • Hematology
  • Immunology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Eosinophil production is primarily stimulated by granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-5 (IL-5), and IL-3.
  • Mice lacking the common beta receptor chain (betac(-/-)) for these cytokines should have no eosinophils but exhibit reduced numbers, suggesting other factors are involved.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel factors that stimulate eosinophil formation.
  • To investigate the role of stem cell factor (SCF) in eosinophil production.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized betac(-/-) mouse marrow cells to screen for novel eosinophil-stimulating factors.
  • Assessed the ability of stem cell factor (SCF) to induce eosinophil and mixed neutrophil-eosinophil colony formation in vitro.
  • Analyzed progenitor cell origins using recloning of SCF-stimulated blast colonies.

Main Results:

  • Stem cell factor (SCF) demonstrated an unrecognized ability to stimulate eosinophil and mixed neutrophil-eosinophil colony formation.
  • SCF's effect was observed in multiple mouse strains and enhanced by G-CSF.
  • SCF-stimulated progenitors can share common ancestors or arise independently.

Conclusions:

  • Stem cell factor (SCF) is a novel cytokine that stimulates eosinophil formation, expanding the known list beyond GM-CSF, IL-5, and IL-3.
  • SCF may play a more significant role in vivo than observed in vitro.
  • The findings necessitate the inclusion of SCF in the list of cytokines regulating eosinophil production.

More Related Videos

Identification and Isolation of Burst-Forming Unit and Colony-Forming Unit Erythroid Progenitors from Mouse Tissue by Flow Cytometry08:31

Identification and Isolation of Burst-Forming Unit and Colony-Forming Unit Erythroid Progenitors from Mouse Tissue by Flow Cytometry

Published on: November 4, 2022

Characterization of Thymic Settling Progenitors in the Mouse Embryo Using In Vivo and In Vitro Assays08:56

Characterization of Thymic Settling Progenitors in the Mouse Embryo Using In Vivo and In Vitro Assays

Published on: June 9, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells01:15

Differentiation of Common Myeloid Progenitor Cells

Common myeloid progenitors (CMPs) are oligopotent cells that can differentiate into granulocytes and macrophages. Granulocytes and macrophages are essential for protecting the body against bacterial, viral, or fungal infections. They migrate from the bone marrow into the circulating blood to reach specific tissue sites where they differentiate and help in immune surveillance. However, they survive only for a few days and must be continuously made available to the organism to maintain a robust...
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:01

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

All blood and immune cells are produced from the multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) by the process of hematopoiesis. However, they all have a limited life span. In addition, many are depleted in immune surveillance or combatting an injury or infection. This makes blood one of the most regenerative tissues. Hematopoiesis helps replenish these blood and immune cells, restoring the body's normal functioning. However, overproduction of blood and immune cells can make them cancerous or...
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
Source And Potency Of Stem Cells01:27

Source And Potency Of Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells with extensive self-renewal properties that help them maintain their population during the fetal and adult stages of life. They can specialize in all cell types of the human body. However, their differential potential may vary and can be classified into five types. Stem cells can be (1) Totipotent, (2) Pluripotent, (3) Multipotent, (4) Oligopotent, and (5) Unipotent. Each stem cell has a specific origin; the fertilized egg or zygote is a totipotent cell and...
T Cell Types and Functions01:24

T Cell Types and Functions

When T cells with CD4 markers are activated, they give rise to two types of effector cells: helper T cells and regulatory T cells. Meanwhile, T cells with CD8 markers differentiate into effector cytotoxic T cells. The differentiation of CD4 T cells into helper T cell subsets, such as Th1, Th2, and Th17 cells, is dependent on the antigen type, antigen-presenting cell, and regulatory cytokines.
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...