R. Douglas Armstrong

In Vitro Expansion of Hematopoietic Cells for Clinical Application

The past 15 years have seen a tremendous explosion in our knowledge of the molecular and cellular regulation of hematopoietic differentiation. Launched with the identification and purification of candidate hematopoietic stem cells by Visser et al. in 1984 [1] and the molecular cloning of recombinant human (rH-) granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in 1984 [2], the field of hematopoiesis has transformed from a specialized garden industry to a position of dominance in molecular biology, developmental genetics, and cancer biology. While many mysteries remain, many of the fundamentals appear to be in view, or at least within reach.