The key difference between hematopoiesis and hemocytoblast is that hematopoiesis is the process of producing all types of new blood cells while hemocytoblast is the hematopoietic stem cell which is the beginning stem cell of hematopoiesis.
Haematopoiesis is the process by which all types of blood cells are produced. In the fetus, hematopoiesis takes place in the liver and spleen. After birth, hematopoiesis occurs in the bone marrow. Stem cells give rise to blood cells. A stem cell that can become any type of blood cell is known as hemocytoblast. Hence, it is the beginning cell of the hematopoiesis. It is also known as a hematopoietic stem cell.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Hematopoiesis
3. What is Hemocytoblast
4. Similarities Between Hematopoiesis and Hemocytoblast
5. Side by Side Comparison – Hematopoiesis vs Hemocytoblast in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Hematopoiesis?
The word ‘hemato’ refers to blood, and ‘poiesis’ means to make. Therefore, the term hematopoiesis refers to the continuous production of blood cells. This is an essential cellular process. There are three major types of blood cells as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. The process that synthesizes all types of blood cells is known as hematopoiesis. Blood cell production takes place in the bone marrow (central cavity of the bone composed of spongy tissue). Therefore, bone marrow is the site of hematopoiesis.
Figure 01: Hematopoiesis
This process begins from the hematopoietic stem cell, which is known as the hemocytoblast. Hematopoietic stem cells are pluripotent cells, meaning that they are able to produce all the progeny of blood cell types. They also have the ability to self-renew. These stem cells can be specialized into two lineage cell types called myeloid cells and lymphoid cells. All blood cells fall under these two categories. There are six major types of myeloid cells as erythrocytes (red blood cells), megakaryocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, basophils and eosinophils. Lymphoid cells have two major types as T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes.
What is Hemocytoblast?
Hemocytoblast is the stem cell that produces all types of blood cells. It is a pluripotential hematopoietic stem cell. Hemocytoblasts are round in shape and resemble lymphocytes. They have a large nucleus and a cytoplasm containing granules. Moreover, they can self renew. They have a mesenchymal origin. They are undifferentiated cells which can give rise to all of the formed elements in the blood. Mainly, it gives rise to two progeny called myeloid and lymphoid. Then these two progenies can develop into all other cell types.
Red blood cells are one of the major types of blood cells that transport oxygen to body tissues in exchange for carbon dioxide. If we consider red blood cell formation, hemocytoblast first becomes a proerythroblast and then develops into a new red blood cell. The formation of a red blood cell from hemocytoblast takes two days. Our body makes approximately two million red blood cells every second.
What are the Similarities Between Hematopoiesis and Hemocytoblast?
- Hematopoiesis begins from a hemocytoblast.
- Hemocytoblasts are found in the bone marrow, and hematopoiesis takes place in the bone marrow.
What is the Difference Between Hematopoiesis and Hemocytoblast?
Hematopoiesis is the process which produces new blood cells in the bone marrow while hemocytoblast is the stem cell that gives rise to all blood cells. So, this is the key difference between hematopoiesis and hemocytoblast.
Summary – Hematopoiesis vs Hemocytoblast
Hematopoiesis is the process of forming new blood cells. It begins from a stem cell called hemocytoblast. So, hemocytoblast is the hematopoietic stem cell that gives rise to all types of blood cells. Hemocytoblasts are found in the bone marrow. Hematopoiesis also takes place in the bone marrow. Hemocytoblasts are round cells which resemble lymphocytes. They have a large round nucleus. Thus, this summarizes the difference between hematopoiesis and hemocytoblast.
Reference:
1. “Blood Cell Formation | Description, Process, & Types Of Blood Cells”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2020, Available here.
2. “Hematopoietic Stem Cell”. En.Wikipedia.Org, 2020, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Hematopoiesis simple” By A. Rad and Mikael Häggström, M.D (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia