Hematopoiesis

Abstract

In an effort to gain insight into human pathophysiology, blood is one of the most frequently sampled biological products. Generation of the cellular elements of blood is the end result of a complex process called hematopoiesis that starts in the hematopoietic stem cells. Unique aspects of hematopoietic ontogeny and mechanisms responsible for hematopoietic homeostasis have important implications for day-to-day clinical practice. This chapter reviews the biology of normal hematopoiesis and how they contribute to pathological findings in disease states.