Scientists Turn Mature Blood Cells Into Blood-Forming Stem Cells
NYSCF – Robertson Stem Cell Investigator Dr. Derrick Rossi and a team of scientists at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute have reprogrammed mature mouse blood cells into blood-forming stem cells. Published in Cell, the scientists used a combination of eight genetic switches, or transcription factors, to reprogram the cells into becoming hematopoietic, or blood-forming, stem cells. The cells created are able to self renew and give rise to all the components of blood in the same way as native blood-forming stem cells.
One of the most sought-after goals of regenerative medicine is to create functional hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation therefore eliminating the need for bone marrow transplants.