Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Directed Differentiation of Primitive and Definitive Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells
14:37

Directed Differentiation of Primitive and Definitive Hematopoietic Progenitors from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Published on: November 1, 2017

Embryonic origin of human hematopoiesis

Manuela Tavian1, Katia Biasch, Lidia Sinka

  • 1INSERM U682, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France. manuela.tavian@inserm.fr

The International Journal of Developmental Biology
|August 17, 2010
PubMed

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are at the origin of the adult hematopoietic system. They give rise to all blood cells through a complex series of proliferation and differentiation events that occur throughout the lifespan of the individual. Because of their potential clinical importance in transplantation, recent research has focused on the developmental origins of embryonic HSC. During development in vertebrate embryos, two independent anatomical sites generate hematopoietic cells. The yolk sac is responsible for a first ephemeral hematopoiesis, characterized by the early appearance of hematopoietic progenitors with limited development ability that rapidly differentiate toward erythro-myeloid lineages. Self-renewing, multipotent adult-type HSC that also exhibit B and T lymphoid potentials emerge autonomously in the aorta/gonad/mesonephros (AGM) region inside the embryo. In this review, we provide a brief summary of recent developments regarding the origins of hematopoietic stem cells in the early human embryo. The recent discovery that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a novel cell surface marker of human HSC is discussed in detail.

More Related Videos

Hemogenic Reprogramming of Human Fibroblasts by Enforced Expression of Transcription Factors11:42

Hemogenic Reprogramming of Human Fibroblasts by Enforced Expression of Transcription Factors

Published on: November 4, 2019

Isolation of Murine Embryonic Hemogenic Endothelial Cells08:56

Isolation of Murine Embryonic Hemogenic Endothelial Cells

Published on: June 17, 2016

Related Concept Videos

Hematopoiesis01:21

Hematopoiesis

The process of blood cell formation is called hematopoiesis. Hematopoiesis starts early during development, on the seventh day of embryogenesis. This phase of hematopoiesis is called the primitive wave, wherein the extraembryonic yolk sac allows the production of erythroid cells and endothelial cells from a common precursor called hemangioblast. The erythroid cells provide oxygen to support the growth of the rapidly dividing embryo. Hemangioblasts later develop into hematopoietic stem cells or...
Overview of Hematopoiesis01:20

Overview of Hematopoiesis

Hematopoiesis, or blood cell production, is a vital biological process that begins early in embryonic development and continues throughout life. This process generates the various types of cells found in blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets from hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
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...
Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells01:19

Multipotency of Hematopoietic Stem Cells

The hematopoietic stem cells or HSCs are multipotent, meaning they can differentiate and give rise to all blood and immune cells. HSCs are maintained in the quiescent stage until an external stimulus initiates their differentiation. The multipotent HSCs exist as two heterogeneous populations, long-term repopulating cells (LTRC) and short-term repopulating cells (STRC). The two HSC populations have different surface markers or receptors and are classified based on quiescence and long-term...
Development of Blood Vessels01:07

Development of Blood Vessels

The development of the vascular system in a fetus is a complex and intricate process that begins as early as 15 to 16 days post-conception. This process starts outside the embryo, specifically in the mesoderm of the yolk sac, chorion, and connecting stalk. Approximately two days later, the formation of blood vessels occurs within the embryo itself.
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...
Production of Formed Elements01:34

Production of Formed Elements

Hemangioblasts are multipotent stem cells originating from the mesoderm. They give rise to hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which undergo hematopoiesis to produce all the formed elements of blood. This process is regulated by a complex network of hematopoietic growth factors, including transcription factors, growth factors, and cytokines. These factors stimulate the HSCs to divide and differentiate, though some HSCs remain undifferentiated to maintain a self-renewing pool.
Most HSCs commit to...
Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation01:10

Zygotic Development And Stem Cell Formation

The development of all multicellular organisms starts with the fusion of haploid cells called sperm and egg to form a diploid zygote. A zygote is a totipotent cell that can develop into a complete organism. The zygote undergoes cell division or cleavage to form an 8-cell mass. Until this stage, the cells are spherical, loosely attached, and remain totipotent. Totipotent cells are capable of developing both the embryonic and the extraembryonic tissues. However, as they continue to divide, they...