Involvement Of C-Myb In Red Cell And Megakaryocyte Development

The cell lineages that give rise to erythrocytes and platelets derive from a common progenitor. Several transcription factors are known to be involved in the control of differentiation along these two pathways, although it is unclear what transcriptional regulatory mechanisms operate during the commitment decision or to distinguish one lineage from the other. Historically, c-Myb has been thought to block erythroid differentiation at the stage of the committed precursor and to have no role in megakaryocytopoiesis. More recent data, especially that derived from novel engineered alleles of c-myb, indicate that c- Myb is important for the differentiation along both the erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages, and that the level of the protein may serve to control progression through differentiation and perhaps the commitment choice.