PET PET
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
Become a Friend Donate
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • People
    • Press Office
    • Our History
  • Get Involved
    • Become a Friend of PET
    • Volunteer
    • Campaigns
    • Writing Scheme
    • Partnership and Sponsorship
    • Advertise with Us
  • Donate
    • Become a Friend of PET
  • BioNews
    • News
    • Comment
    • Reviews
    • Elsewhere
    • Topics
    • Glossary
    • Newsletters
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Previous Events
  • Engagement
    • Policy and Projects
      • Resources
    • Education
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • Subscribe
  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements
PETBioNewsNewsBlood stem cell discovery may revolutionise transplants

BioNews

Blood stem cell discovery may revolutionise transplants

Published 15 November 2012 posted in News and appears in BioNews 616

Author

Dr Rebecca Robey

Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
CC BY 4.0
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.

Canadian scientists have identified a master stem cell that is capable of becoming any of the different types of cell found in blood. The discovery offers hope of alternative treatments for people who would normally require bone marrow transplants to replenish their blood supply, for example those with cancer or blood disorders...

Canadian
scientists have identified a master stem cell that is capable of becoming any of
the different types of cells found in blood. The discovery offers hope of
alternative treatments for people who would normally require bone marrow
transplants to replenish their blood supply, for example those with cancer or blood disorders.

Scientists
have known about the existence of haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) for many
years, but this is the first time they have been able to isolate and study
them. Dr John Dick, who led the study, said: 'We have isolated a single cell
that makes all arms of the blood system, which is key to maximising the
potential power of stem cells for use in more clinical applications. Stem cells
are so rare that this is a little like finding a needle in a haystack'.

HSCs are
found in umbilical cord blood and adult bone marrow, and are essential for the
generation of new blood. Patients with leukaemia and other blood disorders require bone marrow transplants from healthy donors to replace their diseased
blood cells. However, around two-thirds of all patients requiring a bone marrow
transplant do not find a matching donor, and many die as a result.

Despite
the fact it was known that HSCs were required for replacing blood cells, it had
been impossible to identify them from the many other cell types found in the
blood and bone marrow. 'No one has ever gotten a glimpse of them within the
mass of cells used when someone gets a transplant', explained Dr Dick.

The
research team at the University of Toronto carefully sorted cord blood, separating
the different cell types, and were able to identify a tiny population of HSCs. Mice were used in experiments that mimic the bone marrow transplant process, the
group found that these cells alone were able to regenerate all the components
of human blood. Additionally, cord blood without these cells could not
successfully replace the blood system in the mice.

Crucially,
the researchers were able to identify proteins that were uniquely present on
the surface of the HSCs, in particular one called CD49f. These findings,
reported in the journal Science, will enable easy identification of HSCs in the
future. It is hoped this will eventually allow scientists to generate large
blood supplies in the laboratory for use in transplants. Alternatively, they
may one day be able to tailor-make blood supplies for a patient using their own
HSCs.

Related Articles

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
15 August 2014 • 2 minutes read

Zebrafish research uncovers how stem cells form

by Siobhan Chan

Researchers studying the zebrafish have discovered how a certain type of stem cell, which produces all the blood cells in the body, is formed...

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
14 February 2014 • 2 minutes read

Leukaemia patient in remission after umbilical cord stem cell transplant

by Dr Barbara Kramarz

A leukaemia patient in the UK, previously given up to 18 months to live, is now in remission after transplant of stem cells from two babies' umbilical cords.

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
20 March 2013 • 2 minutes read

Cancer stem cells drive tumour growth, studies confirm

by Dr Greg Ball

Three research groups, each studying a different type of cancer in mice, have published results that support the theory that tumour growth is driven by 'cancer stem cells'....

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
12 December 2012 • 2 minutes read

Gene mutation for liver disease corrected in human stem cells

by Luciana Strait

Genetics and stem cell research have been combined for the first time to correct a genetic mutation associated with liver disease. This new approach could lead to people with a genetic disease being treated with their own cells....

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
15 November 2012 • 2 minutes read

First synthetic windpipe transplant is a success

by Dr Rebecca Robey

Surgeons have successfully transplanted a synthetic organ into a human for the first time. In a groundbreaking operation, a cancer patient's windpipe was replaced with an artificial replica that had been grown using his own stem cells....

Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
CC BY 4.0
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
News
14 November 2012 • 2 minutes read

Stem cells, pigs and replacement organs

by Dr Rebecca Robey

Scientists in Japan have reported the production of mice that have rat's organs. They suggest that one day this technique could be used to grow spare human organs in another species such as pigs, easing organ shortages and reducing long waiting times for transplants...

Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
CC BY 4.0
Image by K Hardy via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a human embryo at the blastocyst stage (about six days after fertilisation) 'hatching' out of the zona pellucida.
News
12 November 2012 • 2 minutes read

Stem cells used to successfully treat damaged heart muscle in mice

by Dr Sophie Pryor

A naturally occurring protein can activate stem cells in mouse hearts, producing new muscle cells to replace the tissue damaged by a heart attack, UK scientists have found...

Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false colour).
CC BY 4.0
Image by Sílvia Ferreira, Cristina Lopo and Eileen Gentleman via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts a single human stem cell embedded within a porous hydrogel matrix (false-coloured cryogenic scanning electron micrograph).
News
19 October 2012 • 2 minutes read

Stem cell transplants: blood and bone marrow yield similar survival

by Dr Lucy Spain

Survival rates of patients needing bone marrow transplants are unaffected by whether they receive stem cells from blood or bone marrow, say scientists...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

« Is Westerners' love of junk food and booze genetic?

Data-Label The UK's Leading Supplier Of Medical Labels & Asset Labels

RetiringDentist.co.uk The UK's Leading M&A Company.

Find out how you can advertise here
easyfundraising
amazon

This month in BioNews

  • Popular
  • Recent
13 June 2022 • 2 minutes read

Drop in diversity of blood stem cells leads to old-age health issues

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Placenta and organ formation observed in mouse embryo models

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Complex structures of the human heart bioengineered

8 August 2022 • 1 minute read

Brain tumour gene also linked to childhood cancers

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Lower hormone doses may improve IVF egg quality

8 August 2022 • 2 minutes read

Boosting muscle cell production of gene therapy proteins

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856

Subscribe to BioNews and other PET updates for free.

Subscribe
PET PET

PET is an independent charity that improves choices for people affected by infertility and genetic conditions.

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • RSS
Wellcome
Website redevelopment supported by Wellcome.

Navigation

  • About Us
  • Get Involved
  • Donate
  • BioNews
  • Events
  • Engagement
  • Jobs & Opportunities
  • Contact Us

BioNews

  • News
  • Comment
  • Reviews
  • Elsewhere
  • Topics
  • Glossary
  • Newsletters

Other

  • My Account
  • Subscribe

Website by Impact Media Impact Media

  • Privacy Statement
  • Advertising Policy
  • Thanks and Acknowledgements

© 1992 - 2022 Progress Educational Trust. All rights reserved.

Limited company registered in England and Wales no 07405980 • Registered charity no 1139856