Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Clonal Analysis of Embryonic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Precursors Using Single Cell Index Sorting Combined with Endothelial Cell Niche Co-culture
09:32

Clonal Analysis of Embryonic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Precursors Using Single Cell Index Sorting Combined with Endothelial Cell Niche Co-culture

Published on: May 8, 2018

Endothelial origin of hematopoietic stem cells: Insights from new technologies and unresolved questions

Xiaochen Ding1, Gaoke Liu2, Bing Liu3

  • 1State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Medical Innovation Research Department of PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100071, China.

Seminars in Cell & Developmental Biology
|May 8, 2026
PubMed

Recent studies employing advanced technologies have supported the notion that definitive hematopoiesis, including the generation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), originates from hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs). However, controversies persist regarding the nature, origin, and fate of HSC-generating HECs. This review synthesizes recent studies utilizing high-precision techniques, including single-cell transcriptomics, low-input epigenomics, and single-cell functional assays, to summarize advances in the enrichment markers, functional characteristics, and developmental trajectory of HSC-generating HECs. It further details the continuum nature of multiple refined cellular stages, ranging from the upstream arterial endothelial cells in the aorta as precursors of HECs to the downstream pre-hematopoietic stem cells. Additionally, this review addresses existing controversies by synthesizing relevant evidence and proposes directions and strategies for future research.

Keywords:
Arterial endothelial cellEmbryonic developmentFate decisionHematopoietic stem cellHemogenic endothelial cellSingle-cell RNA-sequencing

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