SDF-1alphaandSDF-1betaaresmallcytokinesbelongingtotheCXC-Chemokines.SDF-1isidenticalwithachemokinereportedtofunctionasapre-B-cellgrowthfactorinthepresenceofIL-7andisolatedoriginallyfromamurinebonemarrowstromalcellline.HumanSDF-1alphaandSDF-1betaareencodedbyasinglegeneandarisebyalternativesplicing.SDF-1actsonlymphocytesandmonocytesbutnotneutrophils
invitroandisahighlypotentchemoattractantformononuclearcells
invivo.Inaddition,SDF-1alsoinducesintracellularactinpolymerizationinlymphocytes.SDFactsasachemoattractantforhumanhematopoietic
ProgenitorcellsexpressingCD34givingrisetomixedtypesofprogenitors,andmoreprimitivetypes.Thechemotacticresponseisinhibitedbypertussistoxin.ChemotaxisofCD34(+)cellsinresponsetoSDFisincreasedbyIL-3
invitro.SDFhasbeenshownalsotoinduceatransientelevationofcytoplasmiccalciuminthesecells.