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The genetic landscape of classical myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) is in large part elucidated. The MPN-restricted driver mutations, including those in <i>JAK2</i>, calreticulin (<i>CALR</i>), and myeloproliferative leukemia virus (<i>MPL</i>), abnormally activate the cytokine receptor/JAK2 pathway and their downstream effectors, more particularly the STATs. The most frequent mutation, <i>JAK2</i>V617F, activates the 3 main myeloid cytokine receptors (erythropoietin receptor, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor receptor, and MPL) whereas <i>CALR</i> or <i>MPL</i> mutants are restricted to MPL activation. This explains why <i>JAK2</i>V617F is associated with polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) whereas <i>CALR</i> and <i>MPL</i> mutants are found in ET and PMF. Other mutations in genes involved in epigenetic regulation, splicing, and signaling cooperate with the 3 MPN drivers and play a key role in the PMF pathogenesis. Mutations in epigenetic regulators <i>TET2</i> and <i>DNMT3A</i> are involved in disease initiation and may precede the acquisition of <i>JAK2</i>V617F. Other mutations in epigenetic regulators such as <i>EZH2</i> and <i>ASXL1</i> also play a role in disease initiation and disease progression. Mutations in the splicing machinery are predominantly found in PMF and are implicated in the development of anemia or pancytopenia. Both heterogeneity of classical MPNs and prognosis are determined by a specific genomic landscape, that is, type of MPN driver mutations, association with other mutations, and their order of acquisition. However, factors other than somatic mutations play an important role in disease initiation as well as disease progression such as germ line predisposition, inflammation, and aging. Delineation of these environmental factors will be important to better understand the precise pathogenesis of MPN.