• Luisa de Andrés-Aguayo, Florencio Varas, and Thomas Graf.
• Hematopoietic Stem Cell Biology and Differentiation, Centre for Genomic Regulation, UPF bInstitució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis, Avançats , Pg. Lluis Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain.
• Curr. Opin. Hematol. 2012 Jul 1; 19 (4): 268-72.

Purpose Of ReviewRecent work has shown that the Musashi 2 (Msi2) gene plays important roles in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. Here, we give an overview on the role of Msi2 in the regulation and function of primitive hematopoietic cells as well as in leukaemic progression. We also discuss the molecular pathways in which Msi2 acts in both normal and leukaemic blood cells.Recent FindingsMsi2 gain and loss of function experiments have shown that it plays an important role in regulating the heamatopoietic stem cell pool. Msi2 has also been found to be overexpressed in human myeloid leukaemias correlating with poor prognosis, therefore Msi2 may be considered as a prognostic marker for acute myeloid leukaemia.SummaryFurther studies into the molecular pathways through which Msi2 modulates primitive progenitor function will provide insight into the regulation of normal haematopoiesis and a better understanding of the mechanisms governing the leukaemic transformation process. This will be crucial for the development of effective therapies.

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