Minireview: Nuclear receptors, hematopoiesis, and stem cells

Nuclear receptors (NRs) regulate a panoply of biological processes, including the function and development of cells within the hematopoietic and immune system, such as erythrocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes. Significantly less is known regarding the function of NRs in regulating the fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), the self-renewing, pluripotent cells that give rise to the entirety of the blood and immune systems throughout the lifetime of an individual. Several recent studies suggest, either directly or indirectly, a role for members of the NR family in regulating the differentiation and self-renewal of HSCs, embryonic stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells. Herein, we review in detail the function of specific NRs in controlling HSC and other stem cell fate and propose a framework through which these observations can be translated into therapeutic amplification of HSCs for clinical purposes.