[Hematopoietic stem cell]

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) maintain themselves over cell divisions (self-renewal) and produce all kinds of blood cells (multi-potency). Depletion of these cells eventually causes hematopoietic failure, while deregulated HSC division causes development of myeloproliferative disorders and leukemias. HSCs can be prospectively purified to nearly homogeneity in mice, but such a high-level purification has not been achieved in humans. HSCs are localized to an anatomical place called 'niche'. Specialized osteoblasts arrayed on the endosteum of cavernous bone and sinusoidal endothelial cells located at the distant position from the endosteum are the two representative candidates of such an HSC niche. A number of adhesion molecules and signaling molecules are thought to comprise the niche-HSC synapse. HSCs divide only once in 1-2 months. Both environmental signaling from the niche and HSC-autonomous molecular programs contribute to the quiescent state of HSCs, which is essential for the maintenance of HSC self-renewal capacity and homeostasis of blood production.