Australian researchers have made what some are calling one of the
most significant discoveries in the history of stem cell research.
Thanks to a recent study involving zebrafish, researchers
have uncovered how hematopoietic stem cells, one of the most critical types of
stem cells, are formed. These cells, also known as HSCs, are essential in replenishing the body’s supply of
blood and immune cells and are key in transplants for patients with blood
cancers. The cells are thought to have
the potential to treat a range of conditions because of their ability to
transform into muscle, bone and blood vessels.
An understanding of how these cells develop and regenerate is
considered by many to be the “holy grail” of stem cell research and has
applications for the treatment of spinal cord injuries, diabetes and degenerative
diseases.
The research team, led by Professor Peter Currie, from the
Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute at Victoria’s Monash University, was
able to uncover a major part of the cells development—something that had
previously been a mystery to scientists.
The team had originally been studying muscle mutations in zebrafish but
upon closer examination, they came across something perhaps more significant. Thanks to transparent larvae of the fish, they noticed that a “buddy cell” appeared to help
in the formation of HSCs. These helper cells, known as Endotome cells, act as a “comfy sofa for pre-HSCs to snuggle
into, helping them progress and even become fully fledged stem cells,” explained
Currie.
Currie said the focus of research can now turn towards
finding the signals present in Endotome cells responsible for HSC formation in
the embryo.
“Then we can use them in the lab to make different blood
cells on demand for all sorts of blood-related disorders,” he said.
While some are in fact calling this discover the “holy grail”
of stem cell research, there is still some work to be done. Said Georgina Hollway of the Garvan Institute
of Medical Research in Sydney, “It’s difficult to say exactly how close we are,
but we have uncovered a vital step in the process.”
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