Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Environment That Nurtures Blood-Forming Stem Cells' Growth Identified

Source: UT Southwestern Medical Center
Date: January 25, 2012

Summary:

Scientists with the new Children's Research Institute at UT Southwestern Medical Center have identified the environment in which blood-forming stem cells survive and thrive within the body, an important step toward increasing the safety and effectiveness of bone-marrow transplantation. Institute investigators asked which cells are responsible for the microenvironment that nurtures haematopoietic stem cells, which produce billions of new blood cells every day. The answer: endothelial and perivascular cells, which line blood vessels. The study is available Jan. 26 in Nature.