Regulation of RBC production

Erythropoietin
- major regulator of human erythropoiesis
- synthesized mainly by the kidney in response to hypoxia
- Interacts with a red cell progenitor (BFU-E) causing it to differentiate
- Interacts with another red cell progenitor (CFU-E) causing it to proliferate and further differentiate
- It needs other factors like interleukin-3 and insulin-like growth factor

All blood cells derive from hematopoietic stem cells

- A stem cell is a cell with a unique capacity to produce unaltered daughter cells (ie, self-renewal) and to generate
specialized cell types (potency).
- Stem cells may be