Which of the following molecules is crucial for the homing of hematopoietic stem cells to the bone marrow niche?

A SCF (Stem Cell Factor)
B SDF-1 (Stromal cell-Derived Factor 1) ✓
C TPO (Thrombopoietin)
D FLT3-L (Fms-related tyrosine kinase 3 ligand)

Explanation

SDF-1, also known as CXCL12, plays a crucial role in the homing of hematopoietic stem cells to the bone marrow niche by interacting with its receptor CXCR4 on the stem cells.

Source

Research on hematopoietic stem cell migration
Hematology Hematology: Hematopoiesis Hematology: Hematopoiesis Medium MEDICAL Confidence: high