Learning Objectives

1. Define Haemopoiesis & Erythropoiesis

2. Requirement of erythropoiesis

3. Sites of Haemopoiesis

4. Stages of Differentiation of RBC

5. Maturation of erythropoises

6. Regulation of erythropoises
 Lecture Outline

Haemopoiesis:

• Haemopoiesis is the process of formation of the formed (solid) elements of

blood. It starts with the pluripotent stem cells (a stem cell that has the

potential to differentiate into any of the three germ layers), which are derived

from uncommitted totipotent stem cells (a totipotent cell has the capacity to

form an entire organism). They have CD34+ and CD38+ markers and have

the approximate size of small or medium sized lymphocytes. They have the

capability of self renewal.

• There are separate pools of the progenitors cells for Megakaryocyte,

Lymphocyte, Erythrocytes, Eosinophils and Basophils where as Neutrophils

and Monocytes arise from common precursors.

Stem cell: They have the remarkable ability to produce many types of other cell

of the body. When stem cell divides, it has the potential to remain as a stem cell

or turn into another type of cell with differentiated and specialized functions.

There are two types of Stem Cells:

1. Embryonic stem cell

2. Adult stem cell

Erythropoiesis: It is a process by which the mature red cells are produced.

Erythropoiesis starts in the bone marrow which has pluripotent stem cell. These cells

reproduce continuously through out life and a small portion of them remains exactly

like the original pluripotent cell and is retained in the bone marrow to maintain a

supply of these. Although their numbers do diminish with age, most of the

reproduced stem cells however differentiated to form the other cells. The early off

spring cell cannot be differentiated from pluripotanial stem cells, even though they

have already become committed to a particular line of cells and are called committed

stem cells. The different committed stem cells will produce colonies of specific types

of blood cells e.g. a committed stem cell that produce erythrocytes is called colony

forming unit erythrocytes (CFU-E).

Requirements of Erythropoiesis: Erythropoiesis requires the following:

1) Normal population of haemopoietic stem cells.

2) Their differentiation and maturation under the influence of Burst promoting

factor (growth factors).

3) Erythropoietin.

4) Availability of other specific nutrients.

5) Vitamin B and folate for normal DNA synthesis.

6) Other Vitamins e.g. vitamin B6, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Vitamin C and E.

7) Metals :

o Iron for hemoglobin synthesis

o Trace metal such as cobalt

8) Hormones e.g.

o androgen

o thyroxin

9) Proteins provide amino acids for synthesis of globin in the synthesis of Hb.

Sites of Haemopoiesis: The formation of blood cells takes place at following sites:

• Yolk sac

• Liver and spleen

• Bone marrow

Gradual replacement of active (red) marrow by inactive (fatty) tissue and expansion

can occur during increased need for cell production.