Description
The definitive hematopoietic system is made up of all adult blood cell types including megakaryocytes, erythrocytes, and cells of the myeloid and lymphoid lineages. All of these cells are derived from multipotent hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) through a succession of precursors with progressively limited potential. Hematopoietic stem cells are tissue-specific stem cells that exhibit remarkable self-renewal capacity and are responsible for the life-long maintenance of the hematopoietic system. HSCs are rare cells that reside in adult bone marrow where hematopoiesis is continuously taking place. They can also be found in cord blood, fetal liver, adult spleen, and peripheral blood.
