Source: Rockefeller University
Date: January 24, 2008
Summary:
Like fine china and crystal, which tend to be used sparingly, stem cells divide infrequently. It was thought they did so to protect themselves from unnecessary wear and tear. But now new research has unveiled the protein that puts the brakes on stem cell division and shows that stem cells may not need such guarded protection to maintain their potency. A protein involved in hair growth also keeps the skin's stem cells from proliferating. This research raises questions about what stem cells need in order to maintain their ability to regenerate tissues -- questions that may be key in developing treatments for patients with thinning hair.
