Minireview: Complexity of hematopoietic stem cell regulation in the bone marrow microenvironment

Abstract

Hematopoiesis in vertebrates is sustained over the duration of an organism’s lifetime due to strict regulation of the highly hierarchical hematopoietic system, where a few immature hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) continuously regenerate the entire blood supply, which is constantly being replaced. Although HSCs self-regulate through cell-autonomous processes, they also receive a variety of signals from their microenvironment or niche. Within the microenvironment, HSCs are regulated through both cell-cell interactions and secreted signals, including hormones. HSCs at the apex of the blood supply integrate these signals to produce progeny to support hematopoiesis while simultaneously maintaining a stem cell pool. In the past 10 years, advances in genetic models and flow cytometry have provided the tools to test how the microenvironment regulates HSCs. This review is organized in 3 main parts and will focus on cellular components of the HSC niche that are potential targets for hormonal signals, then review critical regulatory signals in the HSC niche, and finally highlight the emerging role of hormonal and paracrine signals in the bone marrow.