Researchers Identify Blood Stem Cells Within Lung Tissues
Fresh Take:
Scientific breakthrough! Researchers at UC San Francisco have rocked the medical world by finding blood stem cells in an unexpected location - the lungs. For decades, the belief that new blood cells are exclusively produced in the bone marrow has been the norm. However, a groundbreaking study published in the journal Blood challenges this notion.
Turns out, these hematopoietic stem cells, the ones responsible for churning out a variety of cells like red blood cells and platelets, aren't scarce in the lungs either. According to Mark Looney, MD, a professor at UCSF and senior author of the paper, the lung might just be home to a significant second reservoir of these precious stem cells.
The post-treatment of several diseases, including cancer and autoimmune diseases, involves the use of blood stem cells, primarily extracted from bone marrow. The search for new donors, especially those from racial and ethnic minorities, is a constant endeavor. The new research indicates that the lungs could become a crucial new source for these vital cells.
The journey of this discovery started in 2017 when the research team stumbled upon these stem cells in the lungs of mice, capable of producing different types of blood cells. Further examination of donated human lung tissue showed that these stem cells exist in the human lung as well.
By coaxing these cells to multiply in a lab setting, the researchers demonstrated that they can create various types of blood cells, including red blood cells and platelets. Interestingly, when these human stem cells were introduced into mice lacking their own stem cells, they started producing blood cells in the mice.
"We think these HSCs could be a reservoir of hematopoiesis in a particular organ, in this case the lung, that gets activated whenever the body needs more of any part of the blood," says Looney, piquing curiosity about the function of these lung-based stem cells. While the reasons behind their presence in the lungs are not fully understood yet, one possibility is that they serve as a backup in emergency situations when the body suddenly needs more blood cells.
Regardless of the reasons, this exciting finding opens up a whole new avenue for understanding blood cell production and could potentially revolutionize the field of transplantation medicine. Stay tuned for more updates from UC San Francisco!
- Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
- Circulating Hematopoietic Stem Cells
- Blood Stem Cell Transplantation
- This groundbreaking discovery of blood stem cells in the lungs might potentially broaden the scope of stem cell transplantation options, such as umbilical cord blood transplantation, offering new possibilities for patients requiring stem cell therapies.
- The continuous search for diverse blood stem cell donors, particularly among racial and ethnic minorities, can now consider the possibility of new donors from individuals with high stem cell populations in their lungs, potentially increasing the pool of available donors.
- As the outlook for oncology patients undergoing stem cell transplants improves, the constant advancements in the field, such as the discovery of lung-based hematopoietic stem cells, could pave the way for better outcomes and potentially revolutionize the 16th century practice of bone marrow donation.
