Abstract: Methods and compositions for stimulating the growth, proliferation, differentiation and/or mobilization of stem and/or progenitor cells are described. The method involves administering an effective amount of a substance which can activate the CD163 hemoglobin scavenger receptor signal transduction pathway. The methods and compositions are useful in stimulating hematopoiesis and in treating a wide range of conditions including cytopenias, anemias and for use in preparing cells for transplantation.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for stimulating the growth, proliferation, differentiation and/or mobilization of stem and/or progenitor cells are described. The method involves administering an effective amount of a substance which can activate the CD163 hemoglobin scavenger receptor signal transduction pathway. The methods and compositions are useful in stimulating hematopoiesis and in treating a wide range of conditions including cytopenias, anemias and for use in preparing cells for transplantation.

Abstract: The present invention describes a serum-free medium that promotes the growth and differentiation of erythroid cells, cells that are highly transducible by a non-viral method and genes which increase the growth of erythroid cells and decrease their dependency on Epo. This invention can be used in the expansion of hematopoietic stem cells to produce cultures of erythroid cells as a source of erythroid-specific proteins such as hemoglobin. Hematopoietic stem cells are cultured ex vivo in a serum-free culture medium with the addition of IL-3, SCF and EPO. Cells transfected with the gene described in the present invention can be cultured in the serum-free culture medium with decreased dependency on Epo and other cytokines, thereby reducing the cost of the production of hemoglobin.