Developmental relationships between vitelline and intra-embryonic haemopoiesis studied in avian ‘yolk sac chimaeras’

Mechanisms of Egg Activation and Polyspermy Block in Amphibians and Comparative Aspects with Fertilization in Other Vertebrates

“…In mammals and birds, primitive erythropoiesis occurs in the extraembryonic yolk sac and consists primarily of erythrocytes. On the other hand, definitive hematopoietic cells are derived from the intraembryonic region such as dorsal mesentery, para-aortic foci, anterior region of the mesonephros in association with the post cardinal vein, and dorsal aorta in birds (Martin et al, 1978;Dieterlen-Lievre and Martin, 1981;Dieterlen-Lievre, 1993) and aorta-gonads-mesonephros (AGM) region in mammals (Medvinsky et al, 1993;Medvinsky and Dzierzak, 1996), although there are contrary reports claiming that yolk sac stem cells provide all lineages of blood cells (Yoder et al, 1997a, b). In amphibians, the hematopoiesis also occurs in two waves, primitive and definitive similarly to the mammals and birds as described below.…”

Primitive and definitive erythropoiesis in the yolk sac: a birds eye view

“…As mentioned above, dorsal aorta-derived cells have been suggested to be able to take up the yolk sac niche and undergo erythropoiesis (Beaupain et al, 1979;Dieterlen-Lievre, 1975;Lassila et al, 1978;Lassila et al, 1982;Martin et al, 1978). This in principle may happen, but currently with no strong evidence either for or against it.…”

“…The age of yolk sac donor (E7) for irradiated embryos may include intraembryonically-generated hematopoietic cells either in circulation or temporarily taking up the yolk sac niche. Studies using chick/quail (Beaupain et al, 1979;Dieterlen-Lievre, 1975;Dieterlen-Lievre, 2005;Martin et al, 1978) and chick/chick (Lassila et al, 1978;Lassila et al, 1982) chimeras presented an opposite picture. Quail or chick embryos ranging from HH9 to HH16 were grafted to chick yolk sacs, and relative contributions of graft and host cells to circulating blood or bone marrow were analyzed.…”

“…The major embryonic erythropoietic niche, the bone marrow, has just started active generation of definitive erythrocytes by this time Metcalf and Moore, 1971). It is possible that some intraebmryonically-derived hematopoietic cells find their erythropoietic niche during mid-incubation period in the yolk sac (Beaupain DieterlenLievre, 1975;Lassila et al, 1978;Lassila et al, 1982;Martin et al, 1978). Some reports suggested that the yolk sac remains as the major niche for definitive erythropoiesis until E20 (Bruns and Ingram, 1973;Dantschakoff, 1908).…”

“…This observation is supported by our recent molecular studies . Chick/quail and chick/chick chimera studies (Beaupain et al, 1979;Dieterlen-Lievre, 1975;Dieterlen-Lievre et al, 1976;Lassila et al, 1978;Lassila et al, 1982;Martin et al, 1978) and chick/chick parabiotic studies (Metcalf and Moore, 1971;Moore and Owen, 1965; indicated that, at least during the first few days of definitive erythrocyte generation, the source of cells is mainly yolk sac-derived. At about the same time, if not earlier, intraembryonic hematopoietic cells have been observed in association with the dorsal aorta (DieterlenLievre and Martin, 1981;Jaffredo et al, 2003;Jaffredo et al, 2005;Jaffredo et al, 2000;Jaffredo et al, 1998;Jordan, 1916;Nagai and Sheng, 2008;Olah et al, 1988;Pardanaud et al, 1996).…”