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. 2021 Jan 15;22(2):827. doi: 10.3390/ijms22020827

Figure 1.

Figure 1

Schematic representation of erythroid development and time-dependent expression of a complex network of transcription factors involved in the process. EPO-dependent and iron-dependent stages of erythropoiesis are indicated. Differentiation, maturation, and proliferation of erythroid progenitors are regulated by several molecules according to different stages. Stem cell factor (SCF), interleukin-3 (IL-3) and their receptors progressively disappear during erythroid maturation, after the Pro-E stage. GATA1 promotes erythropoiesis and increases the EPO receptor (EPO-R) expression, which is maintained until the Ortho-E stage. In turn, EPO is the main regulator of early-stage erythropoiesis, after the BFU-E stage. Other molecules are regulators of iron metabolism, such as transferrin (Tf) and its cell receptor (Tfr), growth/differentiating factor 11 (GDF11) and members of the transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family, which negatively regulate erythrocyte differentiation and maturation from the early stages (Tf/Tfr-1) to the late stages (Poly-E). Finally, the binding between FAS and FAS ligand (FASL) triggers the apoptosis of immature erythroid cells, acting from the CFU-E to the Ortho-E stages.