<unk>  of indeterminate potential, or CHIP, is a common aging-related phenomenon in which hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or other early blood cell progenitors contribute to the formation of a genetically distinct subpopulation of blood cells. As the name suggests, this subpopulation in the blood is characterized by a shared unique mutation in the cells' DNA; it is thought that this subpopulation is<unk> ly" derived from a single founding cell and is therefore made of genetic "clones" of the founder. The establishment of a<unk>  population may occur when a stem or progenitor cell acquires one or more somatic mutations that give it a competitive advantage in hematopoiesis over the stem/progenitor cells without these mutations. Alternatively,<unk>  may arise without a driving mutation, through mechanisms such as neutral drift in the stem cell population.<unk>  may occur in people who are completely healthy but has also been found in people with hematologic diseases. The<unk>  population may vary in size depending on the person, where it can be less than 2% of the blood or, at the other end, can sometimes grow close to 100%. The incidence of<unk>  has been found to rise dramatically with age. Recent studies have demonstrated that less than 1% of the population under age 40 but approximately 10-20% of the population over age 70 has observable<unk> . Having<unk>  has been linked to a more than 10-fold increased risk of developing a blood cancer, though the overall likelihood is still low.<unk>  does not typically give rise to noticeable symptoms, but does lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Clonal hematopoiesis
Extramedullary hematopoiesis
Immune privilege
Atypical localization of immature precursors
Antineoplastic resistance
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Anoikis
Metaplasia