Articles tagged with Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Scientists have discovered that amniotic fluid contains a new source of stem cells with potential therapeutic applications. These cells, known as AFKL cells, can generate all blood cell lineages in experiments and exhibit self-renewal capabilities, similar to other stem cells.
A survey of US and Canadian pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant physicians found that only 50 out of thousands of transplants involved privately banked cord blood. The respondents generally recommended against private cord blood banking unless a family member is at risk for a blood disease requiring a stem cell transplant.
Researchers have found that interferon-alpha triggers the activation of quiescent hematopoietic stem cells, which can help replenish blood cells. This mechanism may also be useful in treating certain types of cancer, such as chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine have identified two critical genes, Scl and Lyl1, that work together to maintain a pool of hematopoietic stem cells. These 'sister' genes are essential for the survival and function of blood-system stem cells, and their dysfunction can lead to severe consequences.
Researchers found that leukemia stem cells (LSCs) are maintained by a self-renewing program similar to pluripotent embryonic stem cells. This study challenges the notion of LSCs as rare, immature cells and suggests a link between their activation and poor prognosis in leukemia.
This issue of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols features two protocols: one for stem cell differentiation using the OP9-DL1 system, and another for RNA interference in plants using viral vectors. These methods provide new tools for understanding T-lymphocyte lineage commitment and gene silencing in plants.
Researchers led by Nancy Speck identified the location and developmental timeline of bone marrow stem cell formation in mouse embryos. Understanding this process may help manipulate embryonic stem cells to generate new blood cells for therapy.
Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center found that elevated p53 levels maintain a cell's dormant state, making it resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. Targeting specific genes involved in quiescence may enhance anticancer effects.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center have designed a new way to grow bone and other tissues by co-transplanting hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells. This approach results in faster regeneration of vascularized tissues compared to previous methods.
The Linheng Li Lab has identified the precise location of the bone marrow stem cell niche, building on previous discoveries. The findings reveal a special zone that includes both osteoblastic and endothelial components, which maintains HSCs in their resting state and promotes expansion in response to stressors.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found a subpopulation of hematopoietic stem cells that reproduce much more slowly than expected. This discovery may lead to improved treatment outcomes for leukemia and other marrow-based diseases through enhanced bone marrow repopulation.
UC Davis researchers are exploring a new gene therapy approach to cure AIDS by replacing HIV-infected immune cells with HIV-resistant ones. They plan to conduct safety and efficacy trials using a mouse model before moving on to human clinical trials.
Scientists have identified a crucial protein called Lnk that regulates the growth of stem cells in the bone marrow. The findings may aid in improving the success of bone marrow transplants and developing better treatments for blood disorders such as aplastic anemia and severe combined immunodeficiency disorders.
Researchers successfully developed human embryonic stem cells from a single cell of a 4-cell stage embryo, reducing the need for destruction of the embryo. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient production of hESCs at an earlier stage and alleviate ethical concerns surrounding the technology.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital found that the loss of NEU1 triggers a catastrophic fall in biochemical dominos leading to disrupted hematopoietic stem cell formation and enlarged spleens. The study sheds new light on the cause of sialidosis and its link to bone marrow transplantation failure.
Chronic inflammation in mice triggers cell fusions between blood cells and Purkinje neurons up to 100 times more frequently than previously believed. These fused cells, called heterokaryons, may play a role in protecting neurons against damage and offer new avenues for gene therapy.
The study reveals that c-Cbl suppresses HSC self-renewal, leading to an increase in the number of HSCs in transgenic mice. This finding may facilitate expansion and manipulation of hematopoietic stem cells for tissue engineering and stem cell-based therapies.
A team of scientists at the Joslin Diabetes Center has identified a key regulator of hematopoietic stem cell migration and proliferation, which could lead to improved bone marrow and blood cell transplants. The discovery also holds promise for treating type 1 diabetes and enhancing recovery from infections after transplantation.
A study published in PLoS Medicine explores the brain drain of doctors from Pakistan to the West. The authors argue that some Pakistani medical graduates who emigrate for higher training abroad have every intention of returning to their homeland with new expertise and knowledge, which can benefit the country's healthcare system.
Researchers discovered that blood stem cells can travel to visceral organs to perform reconnaissance missions and produce new immune cells. These cells can synthesize defense mechanisms to counter invading pathogens, indicating a more dynamic role for hematopoietic stem cells.
Researchers have discovered that human embryonic stem cell nuclei are the most deformable, followed by hematopoietic stem cells, which generate blood and tissue cells. The study reveals that lamin proteins play a key role in stabilizing the nucleus and controlling gene expression.
A University of Michigan study has identified the Sox17 gene, which regulates blood-forming fetal stem cells. The discovery may lead to new insights into childhood leukemias and the development of bone marrow transplantation from human embryonic stem cells.
Aging hematopoietic stem cells decline in function due to increased inflammatory response and decreased chromatin remodeling, leading to epigenetic dysregulation. Despite this decline, overall blood production remains stable.
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh successfully isolated and cultured human hematopoietic stem cells from fat tissue, suggesting an alternate source for life-saving bone marrow transplants. The study's findings indicate that these stem cells are integral to normal adipose tissue and may provide a safer alternative for patients...
A study from Massachusetts General Hospital found that genetic alterations in the bone marrow of mice can cause a type of myeloproliferative syndrome, an overproduction of certain blood cells. The discovery may help find better therapies for these disorders, which can be difficult to treat, and also for some leukemias.
Two studies show that defects in the bone marrow microenvironment can lead to pre-cancerous conditions in mice, contradicting previous assumptions about the root cause of myeloproliferative syndromes. The findings highlight the importance of environmental considerations for stem cell therapies.
Researchers developed a smaller gene therapy vector to deliver a radioprotective enzyme systemically, sparing healthy tissue from radiation damage. The minicircle plasmid conferred undiminished radioprotection to cells, suggesting improved treatment outcomes for cancer patients.
A study suggests that stem cell transplantation can induce extended insulin independence in patients with type 1 diabetes. The therapy involved high-dose immunosuppression followed by autologous nonmyeloablative hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, resulting in 93% of patients achieving periods of insulin independence. The treatmen...
Scientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory have successfully used uniparental embryonic stem cells to replace blood stem cells in immunocompromised adult mice. The study demonstrates the potential of androgenetic as well as parthenogenetic ES cells for regenerative medicine applications.
Researchers found that hematopoietic stem cell transplantation enhanced the expansion of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells, leading to increased tumor regression. The study suggests that this approach may improve treatment regimens for cancer patients.
Researchers found that an inhaled drug may provide a new therapeutic for asthma by inhibiting Th2 cell inflammatory responses. Additionally, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation enabled infused tumor-reactive T cells to expand and increase tumor regression in mice.
Researchers used gene-expression profiling to identify donors with a strong reaction against recipient cells, leading to increased risk of graft-versus-host disease. Accurate MHC haplotype matching reduced mismatching-related risks.
Researchers are exploring a new way to harness the body's natural defense system to fight HIV. They are designing modified viruses that can deliver therapeutic payloads to specific cells, potentially creating a cure for AIDS.
Researchers at USC are exploring a novel way to manipulate the body's natural defense system to produce antibodies that can neutralize HIV. By targeting hematopoietic stem cells and using an HIV-based lentiviral vector, they aim to create 'designer immune cells' that can combat the virus.
A new study found that hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients face a significant long-term risk of developing a second cancer, with the risk almost doubling within 10 years. The study also identified specific risk factors, including age at transplant and donor cell type.
Researchers at University of Texas Medical School identified proteins required for E. faecalis endocarditis, potentially leading to new treatment approaches. In another study, tumors induce immunosuppressive inflammatory monocytes that can blunt the anti-tumor immune response, providing new avenues for cancer therapy development.
Scientists at EMBL have discovered that beta-catenin plays a central role in determining whether blood cells form or not, and that an overactive Wingless pathway can lead to leukemia and other diseases. The study provides new insights into the processes within cells that lead to cancer.
For hematopoietic stem cells, a two-step process regulates cell fate decisions, with pioneer transcription factors triggering the first step and secondary factors activating specific genes. Understanding this circuitry is crucial for learning how to transform stem cells into therapeutically useful cells.
The inner walls of bones serve as sites for both bone breakdown and reconstruction, with osteoclasts playing a crucial role in releasing hematopoietic stem cells. This process is essential for maintaining balance in the body's response to injury or inflammation, and may have implications for bone marrow transplant techniques.
Researchers used HOXB4 to expand hematopoietic stem cells in monkeys, greatly improving their engraftment after radiation damage. The treatment could accelerate the recovery of patients with failed hematopoietic systems by expanding limited numbers of stem cells, such as those found in cord blood.
Researchers discovered that a protein called MEF regulates the quiescence of blood stem cells, enabling them to recover more efficiently after treatment with chemotherapy or radiation. This could lead to improved recovery and reduced myelotoxicity in cancer patients.
Researchers found that MEF protein enables hematopoietic stem cells to remain in a quiescent state, allowing for rapid repopulation of depleted blood cells after treatment with chemotherapy or radiation. This could lead to improved recovery and enhanced resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs.
University of Minnesota researchers identify a new population of cord blood stem cells that can regenerate nerve tissue after stroke. The discovery shows promise for treating neurological disorders such as stroke, which affects nearly 750,000 people in the US each year.
Researchers discovered that PrP protein plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy human stem cells, particularly in the brain. The findings suggest that PrP's positive function is essential for preventing prion-related neurodegenerative diseases.
Researchers have identified individual, isolated hematopoietic stem cells at the edge of bone marrow using a novel gene expression technique. This breakthrough allows for the study of these rare cells in their natural environment, shedding light on how they maintain their pluripotency and function.
The sympathetic nervous system plays a crucial role in regulating hematopoietic stem cell mobilization. Researchers found that defects in the transmission of signals via this system can stall stem cell movement. Drugs that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system restored stem cell movement in mice with impaired ability to respond to n...
Researchers have discovered a way to multiply adult stem cells 30-fold, offering promise for treating blood diseases and gene therapies. This breakthrough could address the limited availability of stem cells from donors.
Researchers identify NF-Ya as a master-regulatory gene controlling stem-cell division programs. Overexpressing NF-Ya increases stem cell production by ten- to twenty-fold.
Researchers identified 277 human genes with different expression profiles in stem and progenitor cells involved in blood cell development. The new method allows for functional validation of high-throughput gene expression analysis, with potential applications beyond blood development.
A new method identified by Sean J. Morrison and colleagues distinguishes hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) from other progenitor cells using specific SLAM family receptors. The technique enables the purification of HSCs before transplantation, potentially leading to safer transplants.
Researchers identify a new marker, CD150, that helps distinguish hematopoietic stem cells from progenitor cells. The discovery uses the SLAM family of genes to precisely identify stem cells in tissue sections.
Researchers at the University of Florida have successfully generated brain cells in a dish, a breakthrough that could lead to new treatments for neurological disorders. The discovery identifies the true stem cell, which can be used to produce a limitless supply of brain cells to potentially heal damaged brain function.
Researchers have developed a humanized mouse model that can produce functional white blood cells, allowing for studies of immune responses against cancer and infection. The model, called NOD-scid IL2Rãnull, combines characteristics of previous models to enable successful engraftment and development of an intact human immune system.
A study published in Developmental Cell identifies two genes, HES-1 and HLF, that regulate human blood stem cell behavior. These genes enhance cell-cycle progression and inhibit premature cell death in hematopoietic stem cells.
A new study reveals that Mcl-1 protein is essential for the survival of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which can contribute to poor leukemia outcomes. The research suggests that interfering with this protein may improve leukemia treatment options.
Researchers have identified a new source of mesenchymal progenitor cells in the human umbilical cord's Wharton's Jelly, which can be harvested to generate an abundant supply of stem cells. This discovery has the potential to greatly improve bone marrow transplantation success rates, currently ranging from 30-40%. The new stem cell sour...
A new study found that the transcription factor c-Myb regulates hematopoiesis at multiple points, controlling HSC self-renewal and proliferation. This breakthrough has significant implications for developing compounds to regulate stem cell fate decisions, a potential game-changer for stem cell therapy.
Researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital developed a gene vector that allows hematopoietic stem cells to produce fetal hemoglobin, reversing beta-thalassemia in mice. The technique uses a new vector with added regulatory elements to improve the expression of the gamma-globin gene.
Scientists have identified four critical stages in generating B cells from stem cells, involving regulatory proteins and signaling pathways that guide the cell's development. The study paves the way for creating customized immune cells with specific functions.
A new study published in Science suggests that enhancing the homing of hematopoietic stem cells to bone marrow could increase transplant success rates. By inhibiting or deleting CD26, researchers were able to boost short-term homing and long-term engraftment of these precursor blood cells.