Gregg Xylina T, Prchal Josef T
Department of Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Suite 802E, 4th Floor, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Curr Hematol Rep. 2005 May;4(3):238-42.
This review will focus on the molecular basis of certain polycythemic disorders. Primary polycythemias are characterized by acquired somatic or inherited germ-line mutations expressed within hematopoietic progenitors that cause increased accumulation of red blood cells. Polycythemia vera (PV), an acquired condition, is the most common primary polycythemia; although some progress has been made in the understanding of PV, its molecular basis remains unknown. In contrast, recent advances in delineating the molecular defects of some inherited polycythemias have greatly furthered our knowledge of the regulation of erythropoiesis and hypoxia sensing; however, more work needs to be done.
