Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Homing of Hematopoietic Cells to the Bone Marrow
Published on: March 18, 2009
Fate of the nucleus of the marrow erythroblast
Nucleated red cells lose their nuclei during passage through the endothelium of marrow sinuses. The passage occurs through cytoplasmic pores which are not gaps at the junction of two endothelial cells but perforations within the endothelium. Enucleation occurs because the pores are of relatively fixed size. Whereas the cytoplasm is flexible and squeezes through the pore, the nucleus is rigid and cannot conform to the pore size. It is, thus, caught, and the red cell becomes enucleated.
Nucleated red cells lose their nuclei during passage through the endothelium of marrow sinuses. The passage occurs through cytoplasmic pores which are not gaps at the junction of two endothelial cells but perforations within the endothelium. Enucleation occurs because the pores are of relatively fixed size. Whereas the cytoplasm is flexible and squeezes through the pore, the nucleus is rigid and cannot conform to the pore size. It is, thus, caught, and the red cell becomes enucleated.
Related Concept Videos
Hematopoiesis
Lineage Commitment
Erythropoiesis
Overview of Hematopoiesis
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...
Bone Marrow Sampling and Transplants
The transplant begins with high doses of chemotherapy and radiation treatment, which aim to destroy the...
Primary Lymphoid Organs
The red bone marrow is a soft, spongy tissue nestled in the interior of long bones such as the humerus and femur. It is the site...

