Hemogenic endothelium: a vessel for blood production

Blood cell production, or hematopoiesis, is critical to the survival of the developing mammalian embryo. The origins of hematopoietic stem cells, capable of giving rise to all blood cell types, are being revealed. During embryogenesis, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are generated from a unique population of vascular endothelium termed hemogenic endothelial cells. These unusual endothelial cells are found in a restricted number of sites in the conceptus and within a narrow window of embryonic development. Loss of hemogenic endothelial cells through gene ablation leads to a lack of blood production and embryonic lethality. Here, we describe historical and recent observations exploring the biology of these intriguing endothelial cells and their roles in hematopoiesis both in the embryo and, possibly, in the adult.