Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Hematopoietic Growth Factors

Abstract

The advances in recent molecular biology have led to the large-scale production of the recombinant hematopoietic growth factors and interleukin, i.e., GM-CSF, G-CSF, M-CSF, erythropoietin, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6. It is useful to study the role of these factors in regulating hematopoiesis in vivo and in vitro. The promising results of GM-CSF, G-CSF, erythropoietin in clinical therapeutic application were summarized : GM-CSF and G-CSF may be useful in shortening the period of aplasia associated with ablative chemotherapy for bone marrow transplantation; the results of erythropoietin for treatment of patients with anemia due to renal failure indicate that a rise in hematocrit can be achieved with elimination of the blood transfusion requirement. IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 have the ability to form hemopoietic colonies in vitro, but the effects of these factors on hematopoiesis in vivo remains unclear. Further studies are necessary for clarifying the role of interleukins in regulating hematopoiesis in vivo.