Blood factory • interactive map

Hematopoiesis, branch by branch.

Tap any cell to open its role, morphology, cytokine cue, and the exam trap. Yellow labels are the steering signals.

MYELOIDLYMPHOIDBRANCH SIGNAL
Scroll sideways to follow every terminal lineage →
SCF + IL-3
IL-7
IL-3
IL-3
EPO
TPO
G-CSF
IL-5
IL-3
M-CSF
IL-7
IL-7
IL-15
IL-2
IL-4 / IL-21
Tip: yellow = driver; pale blue/violet = progenitor compartment.

Growth-factor decoder

EPOKidney; erythroid survival & maturation
TPOLiver; megakaryocytes & platelets
G-CSFNeutrophil production and mobilization
GM-CSFGranulocyte–monocyte progenitors
M-CSFMonocyte / macrophage lineage
IL-5Eosinophil differentiation & activation
IL-7Lymphoid development (B/T precursors)
IL-15NK-cell development & survival

Exam wiring

SCF (c-KIT ligand) and IL-3 are early multipotent support signals. Specific late signals are more testable: EPO, TPO, G-CSF, M-CSF, and IL-5.

Trap: IL-3 is broad and supports basophil development; IL-5 is the eosinophil signature. GM-CSF acts earlier than the final lineage-specific cues.
Clinical anchor: G-CSF is used after chemotherapy to raise neutrophils; EPO is produced mainly by renal peritubular interstitial cells.
One-minute checkpoint
Which signal most specifically drives eosinophil differentiation?
IL-5 is the eosinophil association. G-CSF → neutrophils; EPO → erythroid; TPO → megakaryocytes/platelets.

Ultra-high-yield anchors

Myeloid: RBC, platelets, neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, monocytes/macrophages and conventional dendritic cells.

Lymphoid: B cells/plasma cells, T cells, NK cells; some dendritic-cell subsets can have lymphoid origin — do not over-read a simplified diagram.

Mnemonic: “EPO = Erythrocytes; TPO = Thrombocytes; G-CSF = Granulocytes; IL-5 = eosinophils (five letters in ‘eosin’—close enough to stick).