Spatial Localization of Transplanted Hemopoietic Stem Cells: Inferences for the Localization of Stem Cell Niches

The spatial distribution of subpopulations of hemopoietic progenitor cells following syngeneic transplantation was investigated at the single-cell level. The location of infused hemopoietic progenitor cells within the femoral bone marrow of nonablated recipients was determined by 5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester labeling of cells and in situ fixation by perfusion. Analysis performed over 15 hours after infusion demonstrated that the spatial distribution of transplanted marrow cells is not a random process. Although the majority of cells enter the bone marrow from the central marrow vessels, the subsequent localization within the bone marrow varied according to their phenotype. Candidate "stem cells" demonstrated selective redistribution and were significantly enriched within the endosteal region, whereas mature terminally differentiated and lineage-committed cells selectively redistributed away from the endosteal region and were predominantly in the central marrow region. Together, these data strongly support historical evidence of the presence of endosteal hemopoietic stem cell niches.