Function & Immunity of Stem Cell‐Derived Hematopoietic Cells

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) derived from the human embryo, and more recently adult dermal fibroblasts induced to be reprogrammed into pluripotent stem cells (hIPCs), represent two potential sources of cells for regenerative cell replacement therapies. However, the fundamental aspects of both cellular and molecular biology required to control differentiation to a specific lineage using pluripotent cells remain the single and most important obstacle to bringing this therapy to the clinic. Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplants have been and are currently the most prevalent and successful stem cell therapy to date. Our lab and others have been defining these signals and cellular phenotypes of cells emerging towards the hematopoietic lineage from both hESCs and hIPSCs. Although improvements can be made to increase the quantity of hematopoietic cell types with primitive blood cell function, the methods to generate hematopoietic cells that possess in vivo repopulating function similar to somatic HSCs have been elusive. We will discuss how current knowledge of hematopoietic differentiation from pluripotent cells relates to opportunities in both basic research and future clinical goals.