The hematopoietic stem cell niche: What's so special about bone?

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) require a supportive microenvironment to regulate their function and produce sufficient hematopoietic cells over the lifetime of an individual. With the exception of fish, all vertebrates, including mammals, maintain HSCs in a complex niche within the bone marrow. Several bone specific cellular populations have been implicated as components of the HSC niche and are part of a complex network that regulates HSC functions. However, the full extent of interactions within the HSC niche, and the role of individual cell populations remain to be fully elucidated.
Source: Bone - Category: Orthopaedics Authors: Tags: Review Article Source Type: research