The role of hematopoietic stem cells in transplantation medicine

Abstract:

The hematopoietic system is a unique system responsible for the creation of blood cells, innate and acquired immunity, coagulation parameters and numerous factors responsible for maintaining physiological functions. The hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) represents the top of the hierarchical structure of the hematopoietic system, and the largest and most important part of its microenvironment is located in the bone marrow. In peripheral blood, HSC differentiate into functional hematopoietic lineages, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Stem cells can differentiate to produce more stem cells or other types of cells, and can divide both symmetrically (in the elderly) and asymmetrically (in the young). For decades, the mechanisms involved in the differentiation and survival of HSC have been of great scientific interest worldwide. Aging is inevitable for humans, but it also plays a remarkable role in the lifespan of HSC. Previous research points to epigenetic reprogramming of the HSC that occurs with aging, which affects the dysfunction of regulatory mechanisms, reduces the self-renewal of the HSC and its function.

Key words:
epigenetics; hematopoietic stem cell (HSC); aging; differentiation; self-renewal