Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a common origin of blood cells and the
intermediate progenitor cells and precursor cells including the myeloid or lymphoid
lineages, which are the footstones of short-term and long-term blood regeneration.
HSCs are precisely orchestrated by the constituents in the hematopoietic
microenvironment in the bone marrow niches such as stromal cells, immune cells, and
cytokines. The dysfunction and genetic variations of HSCs might lead to hematopoietic
abnormality, haematopoietic equilibrium and even hematologic malignancies.
Meanwhile, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of HSC maintenance and
differentiation according to the niche are of great importance for disease administration
via hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). In the chapter, we mainly focus on the works of literature on the definition, biological phenotypes, preclinical
investigation and clinical trials of HSCs, which will collectively facilitate the clinical
application of HSCT and the relative regenerative medicine for hematological diseases
and immune diseases in future.