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Review
. 2013 Dec;51(4):220-5.
doi: 10.1016/j.bcmd.2013.09.006. Epub 2013 Oct 2.

Erythro-myeloid progenitors: "definitive" hematopoiesis in the conceptus prior to the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells

Jenna M Frame  1 , Kathleen E McGrath, James Palis
Affiliations
Review

Erythro-myeloid progenitors: "definitive" hematopoiesis in the conceptus prior to the emergence of hematopoietic stem cells

Jenna M Frame et al. Blood Cells Mol Dis. 2013 Dec.

Abstract

Erythro-myeloid progenitors (EMP) serve as a major source of hematopoiesis in the developing conceptus prior to the formation of a permanent blood system. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the emergence, fate, and potential of this hematopoietic stem cell (HSC)-independent wave of hematopoietic progenitors, focusing on the murine embryo as a model system. A better understanding of the temporal and spatial control of hematopoietic emergence in the embryo will ultimately improve our ability to derive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells to serve therapeutic purposes.

Keywords: AGM; BFU-E; E; EMP; ESC; Embryogenesis; Erythro-myeloid progenitors; HSC; Hematopoiesis; Hpf; Yolk sac; aorta–gonad-mesonephros; burst-forming units erythroid; embryonic day; embryonic stem cell; erythro-myeloid progenitors; hematopoietic stem cell; hours post fertilization; iPSC; induced pluripotent stem cell.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Simplified outline of hematopoietic emergence and differentiation in the mouse embryo
Three major waves of hematopoietic potential emerge sequentially during murine embryogenesis. Primitive hematopoiesis emerges in the yolk sac and primitive erythroid cells subsequently mature in the bloodstream. Erythro-myeloid progenitors (EMP) also emerge in the yolk sac and seed the fetal liver, where they rapidly differentiate, giving rise to the first circulating definitive erythrocytes. These two waves of hematopoiesis also contain megakaryocyte and myeloid potential. Finally, adult-repopulating hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) emerge from major arteries and seed the fetal liver, and eventually the bone marrow. Recent studies suggest that immature HSCs (imHSC), capable of engrafting adult recipients after in vitro culture, can give rise to fully functional HSCs. This schema highlights the significant temporal overlap of these distinct waves of hematopoiesis between embryonic days 8.5-12.5.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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