Concept Check

• What are the two main effects of erythropoietin?

  Erythropoietin increases the rate of both erythroblast cell division and stem cell division, and it speeds up the maturation of RBCs.
• What is the function of hematopoietic stem cells?

  Hematopoietic stem cells produce all formed elements
• What is the next stage of red blood cell maturation after ejection of the nucleus?

  The ejection of the nucleus transforms an erythroblast into a reticulocyte
• What cell sheds cytoplasmic packets to produce platelets?

  Megakaryocytes which are derived from hemopoietic stem cells, produce platelets