Mitochondrial Proteolipid 6.8kDa (MP68)

Hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) are a group of immature blood cells capable of differentiating into all types of cells found in the peripheral blood. HSPCs express CD34 and can be further distinguished by expression or absence of CD38. Mao et al. (1998) constructed a library of ESTs and cDNAs from human CD34+ cells. A cDNA for C14ORF2, which the authors termed MP68, encodes the 58-amino acid human homolog of rat 6.8-kD mitochondrial proteolipid.Flow cytometric and IVM analyses suggested that the neonatal defect resulted from expression of a nonfunctional form of SELPLG on cord blood CD34-positive cells that were unable to bind Selp. This subset of cells was enriched in CD34-positive/CD38-low/negative progenitors.