Stayin ‘ alive: BCL-2 proteins in the hematopoietic system

The hematopoietic system consists of numerous cellular components fulfilling highly specialized tasks in the organism. Due to their restricted life-span a constant blood cell generation is required for homeostasis. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) guarantee this steady supply giving rise to multipotent progenitors that differentiate into all mature blood cell lineages in a process called hematopoiesis. Programmed cell death plays an important role in this meticulously balanced process by eliminating excess or damaged cells and terminating hematopoiesis after increased blood formation.
Source: Experimental Hematology - Category: Hematology Authors: Source Type: research