Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 1, 2026

A Human Bone Marrow 3D Model to Investigate the Dynamics and Interactions Between Resident Cells in Physiological or Tumoral Contexts
09:07

A Human Bone Marrow 3D Model to Investigate the Dynamics and Interactions Between Resident Cells in Physiological or Tumoral Contexts

Published on: December 16, 2022

A multiscale model of the bone marrow and hematopoiesis

Ariosto Silva1, Alexander R A Anderson, Robert Gatenby

  • 1H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL 33612, United States. ariosto.silva@moffitt.org

Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering : MBE
|June 3, 2011
PubMed

The bone marrow is necessary for renewal of all hematopoietic cells and critical for maintenance of a wide range of physiologic functions. Multiple human diseases result from bone marrow dysfunction. It is also the site in which liquid tumors, including leukemia and multiple myeloma, develop as well as a frequent site of metastases. Understanding the complex cellular and microenvironmental interactions that govern normal bone marrow function as well as diseases and cancers of the bone marrow would be a valuable medical advance. Our goal is the development of a spatially-explicit in silico model of the bone marrow to understand both its normal function and the evolutionary dynamics that govern the emergence of bone marrow malignancy. Here we introduce a multiscale computational model of the bone marrow that incorporates three distinct spatial scales, cell, hematopoietic subunit, whole marrow. Our results, using parameter estimates from literature, recapitulates normal bone marrow function and suggest an explanation for the fractal-like structure of trabeculae and sinuses in the marrow, which would be an optimization of the hematopoietic function in order to maximize the number of mature blood cells produced daily within the volumetric restrictions of the marrow.

More Related Videos

Simple Establishment of a Vascularized Osteogenic Bone Marrow Niche Using Pre-Cast Poly(ethylene Glycol) (PEG) Hydrogels in an Imaging Microplate10:32

Simple Establishment of a Vascularized Osteogenic Bone Marrow Niche Using Pre-Cast Poly(ethylene Glycol) (PEG) Hydrogels in an Imaging Microplate

Published on: May 19, 2023

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell – Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone09:31

Automated Quantification of Hematopoietic Cell – Stromal Cell Interactions in Histological Images of Undecalcified Bone

Published on: April 8, 2015

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...
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...
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...
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...