Final answer:
Human hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into specialized blood cells when they are exposed to hemopoietic growth factors such as erythropoietin and interleukins, which stimulate their division and differentiation in a process known as hematopoiesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hematopoietic stem cells differentiate into specialized blood cells through a process known as hematopoiesis. This process begins when stem cells in the bone marrow are exposed to specific hemopoietic growth factors. These chemical signals, including erythropoietin, thrombopoietin, colony-stimulating factors, and interleukins, regulate the differentiation and proliferation of blood progenitor cells. One daughter cell remains a stem cell to ensure the continuation of hematopoiesis, while the other progresses through various differentiation pathways becoming either lymphoid or myeloid progenitors, eventually giving rise to specialized blood cells like red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Multipotent stem cells in the bone marrow, such as hematopoietic stem cells, have the potential to develop into a variety of cell types within a specific cell lineage. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and those from sources like embryonic tissues, umbilical cord blood, and deciduous teeth, provide additional opportunities for studying and possibly inducing the generation of specialized cells under controlled laboratory conditions.