What are blood stem cells?
Blood stem cells in the human body
All blood cells develop from blood stem cells. These are primitive cells that are able to produce any type of blood cell (1).
The stem cells produce two further types of stem cells, which are a little more developed: myeloid and lymphoid stem cells.
Myeloid stem cells go on to develop into red blood cells, platelets and white cells called granulocytes (2). Most granulocytes are white cells called neutrophils (3).
Lymphoid stem cells develop into white cells called lymphocytes (4).
Find out more: Donating blood stem cells
References
1. Blood cell formation. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Accessed July 2021.
2. Blood cells. Blood Cancer UK. Accessed July 2021.
3. Neutrophil. Encyclopaedia Britiannica. Accessed July 2021.
4. Neutropenia. Lymphoma Action. Last reviewed July 2018.
