Making Blood: The Haematopoietic Niche throughout Ontogeny

Figure 4

The erythroblastic island provides a niche for erythroid development. Central macrophage anchors erythroblasts in the erythroid niche via adhesion molecules. Within the EBI, the central macrophage supports erythropoiesis in several ways, such as providing iron for haemoglobin synthesis, cytokine, and growth factors as well as engulfing expelled erythroid nuclei.