Specification and function of hemogenic endothelium during embryogenesis

Cell Mol Life Sci. 2016 Apr;73(8):1547-67. doi: 10.1007/s00018-016-2134-0. Epub 2016 Feb 5.

Abstract

Hemogenic endothelium is a specialized subset of developing vascular endothelium that acquires hematopoietic potential and can give rise to multilineage hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells during a narrow developmental window in tissues such as the extraembryonic yolk sac and embryonic aorta-gonad-mesonephros. Herein, we review current knowledge about the historical and developmental origins of hemogenic endothelium, the molecular events that govern hemogenic specification of vascular endothelial cells, the generation of multilineage hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from hemogenic endothelium, and the potential for translational applications of knowledge gained from further study of these processes.

Keywords: Developmental hematopoiesis; Embryogenesis; Endothelial to hematopoietic transition; Hemogenic endothelium.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Embryonic Development
  • Endothelium, Vascular / embryology*
  • Hemangioblasts / cytology*
  • Hematopoiesis / physiology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Humans
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • Tretinoin / metabolism

Substances

  • Tretinoin