Origin and fate of hematopoietic stem precursor cells in the leech Hirudo medicinalis

The hematopoietic process by which blood cells are formed has been intensely studied for over a century using several model systems. An increasing amount of evidence shows that hematopoiesis, angiogenesis, immune response and the regulating these processes (i.e., cytokines) are highly conserved across taxonomic groups. Over the last decade, the leech Hirudo medicinalis, given its simple anatomy and its repertoire of less varied cell types when compared to vertebrates, has been proposed as a powerful model for studying basic steps of hematopoiesis and immune responses. Here, I provide a broad overview of H. medicinalis hematopoiesis and I highlight the benefits of using leech as a model.