Effects of Hemin on Erythropoiesis

Abstract
Hemin, an integral part of hemoglobin, also has activity as an erythroid growth factor in vitro1–5. Incorporation of hemin into murine or human erythroid cultures leads to an increase in the number of CFU-E or BFU-E-derived colonies. Hemin has effects in nonerythroid systems as well, stimulating growth of normal and leukemic myeloid colonies6, acting as a T cell mitogen7, differentiating 3T3 cells into adipocytes8, and neuroblastoma cells into neurites9, and promoting growth of fibroblasts10.