Surviving change: the metabolic journey of hematopoietic stem cells

Trends Cell Biol. 2014 Aug;24(8):479-87. doi: 10.1016/j.tcb.2014.04.001. Epub 2014 Apr 24.

Abstract

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are a rare population of somatic stem cells that maintain blood production and are uniquely wired to adapt to diverse cellular fates during the lifetime of an organism. Recent studies have highlighted a central role for metabolic plasticity in facilitating cell fate transitions and in preserving HSC functionality and survival. This review summarizes our current understanding of the metabolic programs associated with HSC quiescence, self-renewal, and lineage commitment, and highlights the mechanistic underpinnings of these changing bioenergetics programs. It also discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting metabolic drivers in the context of blood malignancies.

Keywords: blood; fatty acid oxidation; glycolysis; hematopoietic stem cells; quiescence; reactive oxygen species.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Lineage
  • Cellular Reprogramming
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Hematopoiesis
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / cytology*
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Mitochondria / metabolism