Figure 2

Factors affecting telomere length and recipient outcomes in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Mobilization, older donors, and female donors are related to shortened telomeres in donor stem cells. Chemotherapy and conditioning courses before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) could also accelerate telomere shortening in host cells. The telomere length (TL) of grafted stem cells is mainly determined by the pretransplantation TL of donor cells, but is also affected by the host environment and by the occurrence of chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD). The TL of engrafted donor stem cells is important for the continuous and stable reconstitution of the hematopoietic system.