HEMATOPOIETIC STEM-CELLS .2.

(Second of Three Parts) Erythroid-Committed Stem Cells Shortly after introduction of the assay for the pluripotent stem cell, evidence accumulated for the existence of an intermediate compartment of stem cells committed to erythropoiesis. There are several unique characteristics of erythropoiesis that allowed for a rather precise experimental evaluation of the system. It was noticed that induction of polycythemia in mice caused a reversible suppression of differentiated erythropoiesis.101,102 Marrows from animals with transfusion or posthypoxia polycythemia were found to contain no recognizable erythroid elements. Therefore, animals could be rendered plethoric and subjected to experimental manipulations, and differentiation into the erythroid line. © 1979, Massachusetts Medical Society. All rights reserved.