SALL4 and myelodysplastic syndrome: In animal studies, transgenic mice overexpressing SALL4 (the -B isoform) developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and AML features, and their BM HSPCs displayed increased serial replating potential [14] which rapidly induced leukemia in secondarily transplanted mice, indicating the presence of leukemia-initiating cells (LICs).