HEMATOPOIETIC

SYSTEM
WHAT?

• In the adult mammal, the hematopoietic system resides in the bone marrow within the larger
bones of the skeleton.
• Extraembryonic in the yolk sac > mesodermal region around the dorsal aorta >
liver > spleen > lymph nodes > bone marrow.
• From the dorsal aorta onwards, the same population of cells migrate form one site to the
next.
IN THE POSTNATAL MAMMAL

• The hematopoietic system is in a state of continuous cell production and renewal throughout
life.
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell:
1. Erythrocytes
2. Granulocytes
3. Monocytes
4. Megakaryocytes
E RY T H R O C Y T E
- Play an important role in
carrying oxygen throughout the
body

- Round with an indented center

- Contains the protein

hemoglobin that carries oxygen

- Made in the bone marrow and

has a life span of 120 days
GRANULOCYTES
• White blood cells

• Participate in the immune

system by fighting off infections

• Characterized by the large

cytoplasmic granules, bi-lobed
nucleus

• (Top to bottom: Eosinophil,

Basophil, Neutrophil)
MONOCYTES
• White blood cells

• Fight off bacteria, viruses, and

fungi

• Bean shaped, mononuclear

• Have the ability to change into

another cell called a
macrophage which can
consume and break down
bacteria, viruses, and fungi with
its enzymes.
M E G A K A RYO C Y T E S
• Large bone marrow cell

• Responsible for the formation

of thrombocytes

• Thrombocytes are essential for

blood clotting
S P E R M AT O G O N I A
WHAT?

• Mitotic spermatogonia give rise to spermatocytes, which each undergo meiosis to form four
spermatids, which then mature into sperm.
• But it has another aspect because the male mammalian reproductive cells are continuously
created throughout life from a population of stem cells.
• Morphological studies show that there are several kinds of spermatogonia in the basal layer:
isolated ones, and cysts consisting of 2–16 cells joined by cytoplasmic bridges.
• It was thought that the single cells, called As, were the stem cells and the cysts (called Apaired
or Aaligned) were the transit amplifying descendants.
• However, a fraction of the cysts express Ngn3, and if these cells are labeled with the CreER
system, a few of the labeled descendants form persistent colonies in the tubules, indicting that
they are stem cells.