This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kent, D. Articles by Eaves, C. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kent, D. Articles by Eaves, C.

Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells by the Steel Factor/KIT Signaling Pathway

Authors' Affiliation: Terry Fox Laboratory, BC Cancer Agency, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Requests for reprints: Connie Eaves, Terry Fox Laboratory, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 1L3, Canada. Phone: 604-675-8122; Fax: 604-877-0712; E-mail: ceaves{at}bccrc.ca.

Abstract

Understanding the intrinsic pathways that regulate hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) proliferation and self-renewal responses to external signals offers a rational approach to developing improved strategies for HSC expansion for therapeutic applications. Such studies are also likely to reveal new targets for the treatment of human myeloid malignancies because perturbations of the biological processes that control normal HSC self-renewal divisions are believed to drive the propagation of many of these diseases. Here, we review recent findings that point to the importance of using stringent functional criteria to define HSCs as cells with longterm repopulating activity and evidence that activation of the KIT receptor and many downstream effectors serve as major regulators of changing HSC proliferative and self-renewal behavior during development.