Decoding hematopoietic stem cells' birth

Abstract

In this issue of Blood, Zhu et al1 and Yvernogeau et al2 provide critical new information about the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive the generation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Zhu et al reveal new stages in the development of HSCs and Yvernogeau et al identify and functionally validate novel regulatory molecules in the supporting microenvironment. These 2 new studies advance our understanding of this vital process and improve the prospect of producing clinical-grade HSCs in vitro.