Hematopoiesis is a complicated process that is controlled by both intrinsic and extrinsic cellular factors. It is a process of progression by which the diverse cell pedigrees that develop the blood and immune system are spawned from a shared pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell (HSC). Throughout the lifespan of an adult, two distinct hematopoietic systems are present, both resulting through embryonic development but only one of them enduring into adulthood. The primordial hematopoietic system has its origins from the extra-embryonic yolk sac and comprises of nucleated erythroid cells, capable of carrying oxygen to the maturing embryonic tissues. As the embryo augments in magnitude, the premature circulatory system is replaced by the more complicated hematopoietic system, and remains through the adult life. The hall mark of the adult hematopoietic system is the continuous and hierarchical generation of mature blood cell types which include erythroid, myeloid and the lymphoid pedigrees in the adult mammalian organism. Introduction of FACS (florescence-activated cell sorting) has amplified our perception of the hematopoietic delineation along with the cellular and molecular characteristics of the progenitor cells. Isolation of the human hematopoietic stem or progenitor cells can be achieved by FACS using combinations of surface markers. Some of the commonly used surface marker combinations for the detection of various human hematopoietic cells that are available commercially include CD34+, CD38-, while CD34+, CD10+ and CD45RA+ are used to detect common lymphoid progenitors. For the detection of myeloid progenitors combinations of CD34+, CD38+, CD123+, CD45RA- antibodies have been used along with CD45RA+, for the detection of granulocyte-monocyte progenitors. Kit + and Sca1- markers have been used for the detection of committed/adult hematopoietic cell populations in mice. Availability of precise antibodies conjugated to a continually increasing collection of fluorophores has made this task easier for investigators. Current FACS applications combined with single-cell assays are the key for determining the molecular functions of the hematopoiesis and is an open area of research. Novus Biologicals is in the fore-front of hematopoiesis research and delivers highly specific FACS reagents along with antibodies for your research needs.
