Developmental biology of thrombopoietin in the human fetus and neonate
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Directed Differentiation of Primitive and Definitive Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
Published on: November 1, 2017
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Florida, College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0296, USA. damec@peds.ufl.edu
Unlabelled:
This review focuses on the biology of thrombopoietin (Tpo) during human development. It summarizes the current understanding on molecular biological aspects of Tpo, cellular effects of Tpo on fetal and neonatal megakaryopoiesis, regulation of Tpo production, and circulating Tpo concentrations in human fetuses and neonates. Some important aspects on the developmental biology of Tpo are highlighted. They include the finding of high Tpo gene expression in the bone marrow during the onset of medullary hematopoiesis, higher circulating Tpo concentrations in fetuses and neonates than in children or adults, and a higher sensitivity of neonatal megakaryocyte progenitor cells to Tpo. However, other aspects of the developmental biology of Tpo are incompletely understood.
Conclusion:
More carefully designed studies are needed to provide the necessary background for an optimal treatment of fetal and neonatal thrombocytopenia.
Related Concept Videos
Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
Hematopoiesis
Teratogenicity
Overview of Hematopoiesis
Developmental Phases of Hematopoiesis
Initially, HSCs are formed in the embryonic yolk sac, a critical site for early blood cell production. These stem cells subsequently migrate to other...
Role of Hematopoietic Growth Factors
Thrombopoietin (TPO), mainly released by the liver,...
Development of Blood Vessels
The initial formation of this system is facilitated by the small amount of yolk present in the ovum and yolk sac. Blood vessels originate from...

