CD41 expression defines the onset of primitive and definitive hematopoiesis in the murine embryo

The platelet glycoprotein IIb (alpha(IIb); CD41) constitutes the alpha subunit of a highly expressed platelet surface integrin protein. We demonstrate that CD41 serves as the earliest marker of primitive erythroid progenitor cells in the embryonic day 7 (E7.0) yolk sac and high-level expression identifies essentially all E8.25 yolk sac definitive hematopoietic progenitors. Some definitive hematopoietic progenitor cells in the fetal liver and bone marrow also express CD41. Hematopoietic stem cell competitive repopulating ability is present in CD41(dim) and CD41(lo/-) cells isolated from bone marrow and fetal liver cells, however, activity is enriched in the CD41(lo/-) cells. CD41(bright) yolk sac definitive progenitor cells co-express CD61 and bind fibrinogen, demonstrating receptor function. Thus, CD41 expression marks the onset of primitive and definitive hematopoiesis in the murine embryo and persists as a marker of some stem and progenitor cell populations in the fetal liver and adult marrow, suggesting novel roles for this integrin.     

Distinct hemogenic potential of endothelial cells and CD41+ cells in mouse embryos

Definitive hematopoietic progenitor cells have been thought to develop from the vascular endothelium located in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region of the mouse embryo. However, several recent findings have suggested that most hematopoietic progenitors are derived from non-endothelial precursor cells expressing CD41. We characterized two distinct precursor populations of definitive hematopoietic cell lineages, vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin(+) CD41(-) CD45(-) endothelial cells and CD41(+) CD45(-) non-endothelial progenitors, both of which are derived from lateral mesoderm. VE-cadherin(+) endothelial cells obtained from cultures of differentiating embryonic stem cells possessed hematopoietic potential encompassing erythroid, myeloid and B lymphoid lineages, whereas CD41(+) progenitors lacked the B lymphopoietic potential. VE-cadherin(+) endothelial cells in the lower trunk of the embryo proper showed a significant potential for initiating B lymphopoiesis in cultures, while endothelial cells in the yolk sac appeared to have a bias for myeloerythropoietic differentiation. CD41(+) progenitors isolated from yolk sac and embryo proper were capable of generating multiple hematopoietic lineages, although mast cell precursors were exclusively enriched in CD41(+) progenitors in the yolk sac. These results suggest that hemogenic endothelial cells and CD41(+) progenitors possess distinct hematopoietic potential depending on the tissues in which they reside.     

人卵黄囊造血的探讨

采用卵黄囊组织切片、涂片的形态学、细胞化学染色、造血干/祖细胞体外培养及CD_(34)单克隆抗体免疫荧光检测等方法研究表明:人卵黄囊中存在造血岛,造血岛内由于造血微环境的特点致使此期造血主要向红系分化。血岛中检测出CD_(34)~ 细胞,比例高于胎肝及成人骨髓,干/祖细胞于体外培养形成红系集落。结论:人胚胎期造血源于卵黄囊。     

Characterization of human embryonic stem cell-derived hematopoietic progenitor phenotype

Differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) into hematopoietic lineages using various methods has been reported. However, the phenotype that precisely defines the hematopoietic progenitor compartment with clonogenic activities has yet to be determined. Here, we measured and characterized progenitor function of subfractions of cells prospectively isolated from human embryoid bodies (hEBs) during hematopoietic differentiation basing on surface markers CD45, CD34, CD43, and CD38. We report that hematopoietic progenitors predominantly resided in the CD45⁺ subset. CD43⁺ cells lacking CD45 expression were largely devoid of progenitor activity. However, progenitor activity and multipotentiality was more enriched in CD45⁺ cells co-expressing CD43. CD45⁺ subset co-expressing CD34 but lacking CD38 expression (CD45⁺CD34⁺CD38^-) were further enriched for CFU capacity compared to the CD45⁺CD34⁺CD38⁺ subset. Our study demonstrates a role of CD43 in enriching hematopoietic progenitors derived from hEBs and reveals a hierarchical organization of hESC-derived hematopoietic progenitor compartments defined by phenotypic markers.     

Early fetal hematopoietic development from in vitro differentiated embryonic stem cells.

In this report we describe the efficient hematopoietic differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells in vitro. When cultured in semisolid medium two of five ES cell lines efficiently generated embryoid bodies (EBs) containing blood islands in which hematopoietic cells from all six myeloid lineages could be detected. Among a variety of growth factors tested, only erythropoietin significantly increased blood island formation. We directly demonstrate the presence of hematopoietic progenitors in the EBs by employing an in vitro precursor assay. Colony-forming cells (CFC) of all myeloid lineages as well as bi- and multipotent (CFC-MIX) progenitors were readily identified, and a detailed time-course analysis of their appearance was performed. Despite a high frequency of CFC-MIX in vitro, we did not observe any spleen colony-forming cells (CFU-S) in vivo. We conclude that hematopoietic differentiation of ES cells under these conditions reflects formation of the complete range of blood cells found in the yolk sac of the early fetus. Therefore this system provides a unique model in which to study the earliest events of hematopoietic development in vitro.     

Human mesenchymal stem cells support megakaryocyte and pro-platelet formation from CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells

Megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis result from the interactions between hematopoietic progenitor cells, humoral factors, and marrow stromal cells derived from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) or MSCs directly. MSCs are self-renewing marrow cells that provide progenitors for osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, myocytes, and marrow stromal cells. MSCs are isolated from bone marrow aspirates and are expanded in adherent cell culture using an optimized media preparation. Culture-expanded human MSCs (hMSCs) express a variety of hematopoietic cytokines and growth factors and maintain long-term culture-initiating cells in long-term marrow culture with CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells. Two lines of evidence suggest that hMSCs function in megakaryocyte development. First, hMSCs express messenger RNA for thrombopoietin, a primary regulator for megakaryocytopoiesis and thrombocytopoiesis. Second, adherent hMSC colonies in primary culture are often associated with hematopoietic cell clusters containing CD41(+) megakaryocytes. The physical association between hMSCs and megakaryocytes in marrow was confirmed by experiments in which hMSCs were copurified by immunoselection using an anti-CD41 antibody. To determine whether hMSCs can support megakaryocyte and platelet formation in vitro, we established a coculture system of hMSCs and CD34(+) cells in serum-free media without exogenous cytokines. These cocultures produced clusters of hematopoietic cells atop adherent MSCs. After 7 days, CD41(+) megakaryocyte clusters and pro-platelet networks were observed with pro-platelets increasing in the next 2 weeks. CD41(+) platelets were found in culture medium and expressed CD62P after thrombin treatment. These results suggest that MSCs residing within the megakaryocytic microenvironment in bone marrow provide key signals to stimulate megakaryocyte and platelet production from CD34(+) hematopoietic cells.     

Development of erythroid and myeloid progenitors in the yolk sac and embryo proper of the mouse.

In this study, we have mapped the onset of hematopoietic development in the mouse embryo using colony-forming progenitor assays and PCR-based gene expression analysis. With this approach, we demonstrate that commitment of embryonic cells to hematopoietic fates begins in proximal regions of the egg cylinder at the mid-primitive streak stage (E7.0) with the simultaneous appearance of primitive erythroid and macrophage progenitors. Development of these progenitors was associated with the expression of SCL/tal-1 and GATA-1, genes known to be involved in the development and maturation of the hematopoietic system. Kinetic analysis revealed the transient nature of the primitive erythroid lineage, as progenitors increased in number in the developing yolk sac until early somite-pair stages of development (E8.25) and then declined sharply to undetectable levels by 20 somite pairs (E9.0). Primitive erythroid progenitors were not detected in any other tissue at any stage of embryonic development. The early wave of primitive erythropoiesis was followed by the appearance of definitive erythroid progenitors (BFU-E) that were first detectable at 1-7 somite pairs (E8.25) exclusively within the yolk sac. The appearance of BFU-E was followed by the development of later stage definitive erythroid (CFU-E), mast cell and bipotential granulocyte/macrophage progenitors in the yolk sac. C-myb, a gene essential for definitive hematopoiesis, was expressed at low levels in the yolk sac just prior to and during the early development of these definitive erythroid progenitors. All hematopoietic activity was localized to the yolk sac until circulation was established (E8.5) at which time progenitors from all lineages were detected in the bloodstream and subsequently in the fetal liver following its development. This pattern of development suggests that definitive hematopoietic progenitors arise in the yolk sac, migrate through the bloodstream and seed the fetal liver to rapidly initiate the first phase of intraembryonic hematopoiesis. Together, these findings demonstrate that commitment to hematopoietic fates begins in early gastrulation, that the yolk sac is the only site of primitive erythropoiesis and that the yolk sac serves as the first source of definitive hematopoietic progenitors during embryonic development.     

Endoglin is required for hemangioblast and early hematopoietic development

Endoglin (ENG), an ancillary receptor for several members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta superfamily, has a well-studied role in endothelial function. Here, we report that endoglin also plays an important role early in development at the level of the hemangioblast, an embryonic progenitor of the hematopoietic and endothelial lineages. Eng(-/-), Eng(+/-) and Eng(+/+) mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells were differentiated as embryoid bodies (EBs) and assayed for blast colony-forming cells (BL-CFCs). Our results showed a profound reduction in hemangioblast frequency in the absence of endoglin. Furthermore, cell-sorting experiments revealed that endoglin marks the hemangioblast on day 3 of EB differentiation. When analyzed for hematopoietic and endothelial activity, replated Eng(-/-) BL-CFCs presented limited hematopoietic potential, whereas endothelial differentiation was unaltered. Analysis of hematopoietic colony formation of EBs, at different time points, further supports a function for endoglin in early hematopoiesis. Taken together, these findings point to a role for endoglin in both hemangioblast specification and hematopoietic commitment.     

Characterization of developmental pathway of natural killer cells from embryonic stem cells in vitro

In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells is often used to study hematopoiesis. However, the differentiation pathway of lymphocytes, in particular natural killer (NK) cells, from ES cells is still unclear. Here, we used a multi-step in vitro ES cell differentiation system to study lymphocyte development from ES cells, and to characterize NK developmental intermediates. We generated embryoid bodies (EBs) from ES cells, isolated CD34(+) EB cells and cultured them on OP9 stroma with a cocktail of cytokines to generate cells we termed ES-derived hematopoietic progenitors (ES-HPs). EB cell subsets, as well as ES-HPs derived from EBs, were tested for NK, T, B and myeloid lineage potentials using lineage specific cultures. ES-HPs derived from CD34(+) EBs differentiated into NK cells when cultured on OP9 stroma with IL-2 and IL-15, and into T cells on Delta-like 1-transduced OP9 (OP9-DL1) with IL-7 and Flt3-L. Among CD34(+) EB cells, NK and T cell potentials were detected in a CD45(-) subset, whereas CD45(+) EB cells had myeloid but not lymphoid potentials. Limiting dilution analysis of ES-HPs generated from CD34(+)CD45(-) EB cells showed that CD45(+)Mac-1(-)Ter119(-) ES-HPs are highly enriched for NK progenitors, but they also have T, B and myeloid potentials. We concluded that CD45(-)CD34(+) EB cells have lymphoid potential, and they differentiate into more mature CD45(+)Lin(-) hematopoietic progenitors that have lymphoid and myeloid potential. NK progenitors among ES-HPs are CD122(-) and they rapidly acquire CD122 as they differentiate along the NK lineage.     

Clonal analysis of differentiating embryonic stem cells reveals a hematopoietic progenitor with primitive erythroid and adult lymphoid-myeloid potential.

Embryonic stem (ES) cells differentiate into multiple hematopoietic lineages during embryoid body formation in vitro, but to date, an ES-derived hematopoietic stem cell has not been identified and subjected to clonal analysis in a manner comparable with hematopoietic stem cells from adult bone marrow. As the chronic myeloid leukemia-associated BCR/ABL oncogene endows the adult hematopoietic stem cell with clonal dominance without inhibiting pluripotent lymphoid and myeloid differentiation, we have used BCR/ABL as a tool to enable engraftment and clonal analysis. We show that embryoid body-derived hematopoietic progenitors expressing BCR/ABL maintain a primitive hematopoietic blast stage of differentiation and generate only primitive erythroid cell types in vitro. These cells can be cloned, and when injected into irradiated adult mice, they differentiate into multiple myeloid cell types as well as T and B lymphocytes. While the injected cells express embryonic (beta-H1) globin, donor-derived erythroid cells in the recipient express only adult (beta-major) globin, suggesting that these cells undergo globin gene switching and developmental maturation in vivo. These data demonstrate that an embryonic hematopoietic stem cell arises in vitro during ES cell differentiation that constitutes a common progenitor for embryonic erythroid and definitive lymphoid-myeloid hematopoiesis.     

HoxB4 confers definitive lymphoid-myeloid engraftment potential on embryonic stem cell and yolk sac hematopoietic progenitors

The extent to which primitive embryonic blood progenitors contribute to definitive lymphoid-myeloid hematopoiesis in the adult remains uncertain. In an effort to characterize factors that distinguish the definitive adult hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and primitive progenitors derived from yolk sac or embryonic stem (ES) cells, we examined the effect of ectopic expression of HoxB4, a homeotic selector gene implicated in self-renewal of definitive HSCs. Expression of HoxB4 in primitive progenitors combined with culture on hematopoietic stroma induces a switch to the definitive HSC phenotype. These progenitors engraft lethally irradiated adults and contribute to long-term, multilineage hematopoiesis in primary and secondary recipients. Our results suggest that primitive HSCs are poised to become definitive HSCs and that this transition can be promoted by HoxB4 expression. This strategy for blood engraftment enables modeling of hematopoietic transplantation from ES cells.     

In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells: Immunophenotypic analysis of cultured embryoid bodies

The process of in vitro embryonic stem cell differentiation and embryoid body development was monitored using a panel of antibodies against surface markers traditionally associated with embryonic tissue (Forssman, SSEA-1) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (Fall-3, HSA, Sca-1, Thy-1.2, ER-MP12, CD45, AA4.1, and c-kit). All markers with the exception of CD45 and AA4.1 were initially detected in cultures of undifferentiated ES cells. During the first 11 days of differentiation, distinct and reproducible patterns of surface expression were observed for each marker. Using the kinetic display of surface markers as a gauge of differentiation, perturbations in embryoid body development were detected in cultures supplemented with interleukin-11, a gp130-activating cytokine thought to affect embryonic stem cell differentiation. In the absence of exogenous cytokines, microbead immunoselected day 7 c-kit, ER-MP12, and CD45-positive embryoid body cells were enriched for hematopoietic progenitors as detected by methylcellulose colony assays, while no significant enrichment of hematopoietic progenitors was observed with Sca-1, Thy-1.2, Fall-3, and Forssman-immunoselected cells. These results indicate that the process of early embryoid body development is associated with a programmed sequence of cell surface marker display, concomitant with the development of phenotypically definable embryonic cell lineages. J. Cell. Physiol. 171:104–115, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Specific marking of hESCs-derived hematopoietic lineage by WAS-promoter driven lentiviral vectors

Genetic manipulation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) is instrumental for tracing lineage commitment and to studying human development. Here we used hematopoietic-specific Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome gene (WAS)-promoter driven lentiviral vectors (LVs) to achieve highly specific gene expression in hESCs-derived hematopoietic cells. We first demonstrated that endogenous WAS gene was not expressed in undifferentiated hESCs but was evident in hemogenic progenitors (CD45(-)CD31(+)CD34(+)) and hematopoietic cells (CD45(+)). Accordingly, WAS-promoter driven LVs were unable to express the eGFP transgene in undifferentiated hESCs. eGFP(+) cells only appeared after embryoid body (EB) hematopoietic differentiation. The phenotypic analysis of the eGFP(+) cells showed marking of different subpopulations at different days of differentiation. At days 10-15, AWE LVs tag hemogenic and hematopoietic progenitors cells (CD45(-)CD31(+)CD34(dim) and CD45(+)CD31(+)CD34(dim)) emerging from hESCs and at day 22 its expression became restricted to mature hematopoietic cells (CD45(+)CD33(+)). Surprisingly, at day 10 of differentiation, the AWE vector also marked CD45(-)CD31(low/-)CD34(-) cells, a population that disappeared at later stages of differentiation. We showed that the eGFP(+)CD45(-)CD31(+) population generate 5 times more CD45(+) cells than the eGFP(-)CD45(-)CD31(+) indicating that the AWE vector was identifying a subpopulation inside the CD45(-)CD31(+) cells with higher hemogenic capacity. We also showed generation of CD45(+) cells from the eGFP(+)CD45(-)CD31(low/-)CD34(-) population but not from the eGFP(-)CD45(-)CD31(low/-)CD34(-) cells. This is, to our knowledge, the first report of a gene transfer vector which specifically labels hemogenic progenitors and hematopoietic cells emerging from hESCs. We propose the use of WAS-promoter driven LVs as a novel tool to studying human hematopoietic development.     

Identification of MS4A3 as a reliable marker for early myeloid differentiation in human hematopoiesis

Information of myeloid lineage-related antigen on hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) is important to clarify the mechanisms regulating hematopoiesis, as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of myeloid malignancies. We previously reported that special AT-rich sequence binding protein 1 (SATB1), a global chromatin organizer, promotes lymphoid differentiation from HSPCs. To search a novel cell surface molecule discriminating early myeloid and lymphoid differentiation, we performed microarray analyses comparing SATB1-overexpressed HSPCs with mock-transduced HSPCs. The results drew our attention to membrane-spanning 4-domains, subfamily A, member 3 (Ms4a3) as the most downregulated molecule in HSPCs with forced overexpression of SATB1. Ms4a3 expression was undetectable in hematopoietic stem cells, but showed a concomitant increase with progressive myeloid differentiation, whereas not only lymphoid but also megakaryocytic-erythrocytic progenitors were entirely devoid of Ms4a3 expression. Further analysis revealed that a subset of CD34⁺CD38⁺CD33⁺ progenitor population in human adult bone marrow expressed MS4A3, and those MS4A3⁺ progenitors only produced granulocyte/macrophage colonies, losing erythroid colony- and mixed colony-forming capacity. These results suggest that cell surface expression of MS4A3 is useful to distinguish granulocyte/macrophage lineage-committed progenitors from other lineage-related ones in early human hematopoiesis. In conclusion, MS4A3 is useful to monitor early stage of myeloid differentiation in human hematopoiesis.     

Regulation of hematopoietic development in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros region mediated by Lnk adaptor protein

Development of hematopoietic cells in the aorta-gonad-mesonephros (AGM) region in the midgestation mouse embryo involves a multistep process, sequentially changing from endothelial cell-like cells, including hemangioblasts, into hematopoietic stem cells, progenitors, and/or lineage-committed cells. An adaptor molecule, Lnk, is known to negatively control the production of pro- and pre-B cells and hematopoietic progenitor cells in adult bone marrow. Here we show a role of Lnk in hematopoietic development in the AGM region. Lnk was predominantly expressed in the endothelial cells lining the dorsal aorta at embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5). Overexpression of Lnk in the primary culture of the AGM region at E11.5 suppressed the emergence of CD45+ hematopoietic cells. Point mutation in the SH2 domain of Lnk, which abolishes the binding capability of Lnk to c-Kit upon stimulation with stem cell factor (SCF), led to loss of Lnk-dependent inhibition of hematopoietic cell development in AGM cultures, suggesting Lnk-mediated inhibition of the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway. In cultured AGM cells from Lnk homozygous mutant mouse embryos, the number of emerged CD45+ cells was 2.5-fold larger than that from heterozygous littermates. Furthermore, aorta cells of E11.5 Lnk homozygous mutant mice also showed enhanced hematopoietic colony-forming activity. Thus, Lnk is a negative regulator of hematopoiesis in the AGM region.     

In vitro development of murine T cells from prethymic and preliver embryonic yolk sac hematopoietic stem cells.

Mature T cells are derived from prethymic stem cells, which arise at one or more extrathymic sites and enter and differentiate in the thymus. The nature of these prethymic stem cells is a critical factor for the formation of the T-cell repertoire. Although the bone marrow of adult mice can provide such stem cells, their origin during murine embryogenesis is still undetermined. Among potential sites for these progenitor cells are the fetal liver and the embryonic yolk sac. Our studies focus on the yolk sac, both because the yolk sac appears earlier than any other proposed site, and because the mammalian yolk sac is the first site of hematopoiesis. Although it has been shown that the yolk sac in midgestation contains stem cells that can enter the thymic rudiment and differentiate toward T-cell lineage, our aim was to analyze the developmental potential of cells in the yolk sac from earlier stages, prior to the formation of the liver and any other internal organ. We show here that the yolk sac from 8- and 9-day embryos (2-9 and 13-19 somites, respectively) can reconstitute alymphoid congenic fetal thymuses and acquire mature T-cell-specific characteristics. Specifically, thymocytes derived from the early embryonic yolk sac can progress to the expression of mature T lymphocyte markers including CD3/T-cell receptor (TCR), CD4 and CD8. In contrast, we have been unable to document the presence of stem cells within the embryo itself at these early stages. These results support the hypothesis that the stem cells capable of populating the thymic rudiment originate in the yolk sac, and that their presence as early as at the 2- to 9-somite stage may indicate that prethymic stem cells found elsewhere in the embryo at later times may have been derived by migration from this extra-embryonic site. Our experimental design does not exclude the possibility of multiple origins of prethymic stem cells of which the yolk sac may provide the first wave of stem cells in addition to other later waves of cells.