Restraint of TGFβ family signaling by SMAD7 is necessary for hematopoietic stem cell maturation in the embryo.

ABSTRACT: Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), defined as cells that can engraft an adult when transplanted, mature from precursors (pre-HSCs) that differentiate from hemogenic endothelial cells (HECs) in the embryo. Many signaling pathways required to generate the first hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in the embryo are well-characterized, but how HSCs mature from pre-HSCs is poorly understood. Here we show that "mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 7" (SMAD7), a negative regulator of transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, is required for pre-HSC to HSC maturation. Deletion of Smad7 in endothelial cells allows the formation of pre-HSCs from HECs but impairs their maturation into HSCs. The data indicate that although TGFβ and BMP signaling

SUBMITTER: Bennett LF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12407734 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature