Alcam-a and Pdgfr-α are essential for the development of sclerotome-derived stromal cells that support hematopoiesis

Abstract

The early ontogeny of hematopoietic niches is largely unknown. This article shows that the sclerotome compartment of somites provides Alcam and Pdgfr-α dependent mesenchymal cells that are essential at every step of the development of hematopoiesis.