Researchers Reproduce the Development of Blood Stem Cells
Researchers have reproduced the developmental process of blood stem cells in vitro.

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Researchers at Kumamoto University have achieved a groundbreaking advancement in stem cell biology by reproducing the developmental process of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in vitro. This culture system not only enhances our understanding of how HSCs develop but also leads to the development of a new tool that could be instrumental in stem cell therapy and blood disease treatments in the future.
Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), the body's primary source for producing blood cells throughout life, develop through several stages. The research team, led by Professor Minetaro Ogawa and Assistant Professor Saori Morino-Koga from the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, discovered that specific signaling molecules are necessary at each differentiation stage. The culture system established in their study reproduces the microenvironment where HSC development occurs and has successfully differentiated mouse embryo-derived hemogenic (blood-producing) endothelial cells, which are HSC progenitors, into transplantable HSCs.
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Subscribe for FREEThe researchers anticipate that this culture system will be a powerful tool for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of HSC development. Furthermore, they hope it will eventually lead to the induction of HSCs from pluripotent stem cells, such as embryonic stem (ES) and induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, thus opening new avenues for stem cell-based therapies for blood diseases.
Reference: Morino-Koga S, Tsuruda M, Zhao X, et al. Transition of signal requirement in hematopoietic stem cell development from hemogenic endothelial cells. PNAS. 2024;121(31):e2404193121. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2404193121
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