In this chapter, the impact of lipid molecules on hematopoiesis will be reviewed in a format
friendly to those outside the field. The focus of the review is on how dietary fatty acids impact
hematopoiesis through changes in differentiation. We begin with a discussion of general hematopoiesis
including the concepts of stem and progenitor cells that drive hematopoiesis and the various cell types
they produce. We then will discuss the principles of epigenetic gene regulation and differentiation
pertinent to hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Once these principles have been introduced, we
will examine how dietary lipids can impact hematopoietic differentiation. The relationship of
epigenetics and dietary lipids to leukemic and preleukemic states will also be explored. We will
conclude with a look at how WNT signaling can impact hematopoiesis through epigenetic gene
regulation, dietary lipids, and differentiation.
Keywords: Cancer, Cyclooxygenase, Diet, Epigenetics, Fatty Acid, Fish, Fish Oil, Food, Hematological
Cancer, Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Leukemia, Nutrition, Omega-3, Progenitor, Stem Cells, Wnt.
