FBS Colloquia No.375Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Developmental Immunology

Characteristics and molecular basis of cellular niches for hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow

The special microenvironment, termed niche, with which hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are in contact, has been thought to be required for the maintenance of HSCs and the generation of blood cells and immune cells in the bone marrow. Although the identity of the HSC niche has been a subject of long-standing debate, recent studies demonstrated that a population of mesenchymal stem cells, termed CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12)-abundant reticular (CAR) cells, are the pivotal cellular components of HSC niche. Especially, we revealed that CAR cells express several specific transcription factors essential for their development and functions. In this colloquium, I would like to introduce our series of studies, focused on the roles of these transcription factors and CXCL12 for HSC functions in the bone marrow.