In the context of leukemias, what does maturation arrest refer to?

Maturation arrest refers to the condition where hematopoietic cells, particularly those in the context of leukemias, fail to differentiate into mature, functional blood cells. In a healthy hematopoietic system, stem cells progress through various stages of maturation to become fully differentiated cells such as red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. However, in leukemias, there is often an interruption in this process, leading to an accumulation of immature cells, which are incapable of performing their normal functions.

The failure to differentiate can contribute to the clinical features of leukemia, such as the presence of many immature cells (blasts) in the bone marrow and peripheral blood, and can manifest as various symptoms related to bone marrow failure, such as anemia, increased susceptibility to infections, and bleeding tendencies. Thus, the concept of maturation arrest is critical for understanding the pathophysiology of leukemia and its implications for treatment and prognosis.