Erythropoiesis

Erythropoiesis is the highly regulated multistep process, the end product of which is the erythrocytes or red blood cells.

Modified,Page36,Willams-Hematology

FACTORS REGULATING ERYTHROPOIESIS

SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT REGULATOR: TISSUE OXYGENATION ERYTHROPOIETIN BURST PROMOTING ACTIVITY IRON VITAMINS:
Vitamin B12 Folic Acid

MISCELLANEOUS

STEM CELLS
These cells have extensive proliferative capacity and also the:
Ability to give rise to new stem cells (Self Renewal) Ability to differentiate into any blood cells lines (Pluripotency)

They grow and develop in the bone marrow. The bone marrow & spleen form a supporting system, called the hemopoietic microenvironment

STEM CELLS: Types

Pluripotent Stem cells:
Has a diameter of 18 23 . Giving rise to: both Myeloid and Lymphoid series of cells Capable of extensive self-renewal.

Myeloid Stem cells: Generate myeloid cells:

Erythrocytes Granulocytes: PMNs, Eosinophils & Basophils. Thrombocytes.

Lymphoid Stem cells: Giving rise only to:

Lymphocytes: T type mainly.

PROGENITOR CELLS
Committed stem cells lose their capacity for selfrenewal. They become irreversibly committed. These cells are termed as Progenitor cells They are regulated by certain hormones or substances so that they can:
Proliferate Undergo Maturation.

Erythropoiesis

Erythrocytes

Pronormoblast

CFU-E

BFU-E

Myeloid stem cell

ERYTHROPOIESIS: SEQUENTIAL CHANGES

I VI P R O N O R M O B L A S T II
Basophilic normoblast

III
Polychromatic normoblast

IV
Orthochromatic normoblast

R E T I C U L O C Y T E

M A T U R E R B C

MITOCHONDRIA BASOPHILIA HEMOGLOBIN

ERYTHROID PROGENITOR CELLS BFU-E: Burst Forming Unit Erythrocyte:

Give rise each to thousands of nucleated erythroid precursor cells, in vitro. Undergo some changes to become the Colony Forming Units-Erythrocyte (CFU-E) Regulator: Burst Promoting Activity (BPA)
These are more closely related to the multipotent stem cell. Contain moderately basophilic cytoplasm with occasional pseudopods,. very fine nuclear chromatin and large nucleoli.

ERYTHROID PROGENITOR CELLS

CFU-E: Colony Forming Unit- Erythrocyte:
Well differentiated erythroid progenitor cell. Present only in the Red Bone Marrow. Can form upto 64 nucleated erythroid precursor cells. Regulator: Erythropoietin.
Cell morphology Fine nuclear chromatin. Well defined large nucleolus. High nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, a perinuclear clear zone Basophilic cytoplasm with pseudopods.

Normoblastic Precursors
PROERYTHROBLAST:
Large cell: 15 20 microns in diameter. Cytoplasm is deep violet-blue staining Has no Hemoglobin. Large nucleus 12 microns ,occupies 3/4th of the cell volume. Nucleus has fine stippled reticulum & many nucleoli.

Normoblastic Precursors
Basophilic erythroblast:
Smaller in size. Shows active Mitosis. No nucleoli in the nucleus. Fine chromatin network with few condensation nodes found. Hemoglobin begins to form. Cytoplasm still Basophilic.

Normoblastic Precursors
Polichromatic Erythroblast:
Has a diameter of 10 14 microns. Shows active Mitosis. Increased Hemoglobin content in the cytoplasm Cytoplasm is Polychromatophilic.

Normoblastic Precursors
Orthochromatic Erythroblast:
Diameter is 7 10 microns. Nucleus shrinks with condensed chromatin. Nucleus undergoes the pyknotic degeneration and exnucleation . Cytoplasm has a Eosinophilic appearance.

Normoblastic Precursors
RETICULOCYTE:
The penultimate stage cell. Has a fine network of reticulum like a as clumps of dots The presence of reticulum leads to the term reticulocytes In the Neonates, Count is 2 6/Cu.mm. Reticulocytosis is the first change seen in patients treated with Vit B12

Normoblastic Precursors
MATURE ERYTHROCYTE:
Biconcave disc. No nucleus. About One-third filled with Hemoglobin.

Life Cycle of Red Blood Cells

Figure 17.7