JAK2, complemented by a second signal from c-kit or flt-3, triggers extensive self-renewal of primary multipotential hemopoietic cells.

Defining signals that can support the self-renewal of multipotential hemopoietic progenitor cells (MHPCs) is pertinent to understanding leukemogenesis and may be relevant to developing stem cell-based therapies. Here we define a set of signals, JAK2 plus either c-kit or flt-3, which together can support extensive MHPC self-renewal. Phenotypically and functionally distinct populations of MHPCs were obtained, depending on which receptor tyrosine kinase, c-kit or flt-3, was activated.