New Research Sheds Light On How Stem Cells Turn Into Blood Cells

New Research Sheds Light On How Stem Cells Turn Into Blood Cells
07 Mar 2009   

Researchers funded by the Canadian Cancer Society have discovered how certain messages that are carried within stem cells can trigger those cells to become blood cells. The findings were published online on the 5th March 09 in Cell Stem Cell.

"This finding is exciting because it may provide a new way to make blood from human stem cells that could be used to regenerate the blood system in patients, including those with leukemia or those undergoing cancer treatments that indirectly destroy the immune and blood system," says Dr. Christine Williams, Director of Research Programs at the Canadian Cancer Society Research Institute.

This is the first time researchers have been able to show the importance of one particular cell pathway - known as the noncanonical Wnt pathway - in prompting stem cells to specialize and become blood cells. The pathway appears to organize the stem cells so that they can respond to signals telling them what to turn into.

Dr. Mick Bhatia, who led the study, received a $750,000 grant from the Canadian Cancer Society for this research. "By directing cell differentiation, this method provides the most efficient way to produce blood cells that we are aware of to date," he says. Dr. Bhatia is director of the McMaster University Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute.

Stem cells are the building blocks of every organ and tissue in the body. These cells have the remarkable ability to become any type of cell in the body including bone, muscle and blood cells.

Notes:

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is the eradication of cancer and the enhancement of the quality of life of people living with cancer. It is the largest national charitable funder of cancer research in Canada. Last year, the Society funded close to $49.5 million in leading-edge research projects across the country. To know more about cancer, visit the website at http://www.cancer.ca or call the toll-free, bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1 888 939-3333.

Source:
Christine Harminc
Senior Communications Officer
Canadian Cancer Society

Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/141400.php

Main News Category: Stem Cell Research

Also Appears In:  Cancer / Oncology,  Lymphoma / Leukemia,  Blood / Hematology, 

Right section?

Thanks for the information.  I wonder if this could have an implications for thalassemia and other anemias. 

Sharmin

Last night it was picked up by Dutch journalists and it was on teletext. Those daily awake bosses don't seemed too smart to understand what it meant or to call someone to explain it. It just disaappeared for the news!

Anyway, I did not understand the benefit of it too so I asked my father. When he heard I could only hear his voice and he sounded so happy.

If they can make blood from stem cells, they would be able in the future to do that also with your own stem cells.
If they succeed there comes a time that they can make those blood cells better than the ones your body makes....

In other words:It's a very good development!!!

Bonne jour!

Dore

Now that the ban on funding stem cell research has been lifted in the US, we can expect rapid advancement in this field. I do believe there will be very beneficial results from this research and for thals, creating red blood cells from stem cells is the most promising.

Let me add to what I just posted. Stem cell research holds promise for anyone with a blood disorder (not just thal) where there body does not make proper red blood cells. I can understand why Dore's dad would be excited by this.

I understand now why my doctor said that I should wait 10 years for a BMT. Nine years to go, hahaha!  I never want to have one and always said (saying) that I will think about that when I beated the ferritin. 

Andy

I realy don't inderstand how can this help in genetic blood disorder???

Aren't these stem cells are already muted???

When blood is formed from these stem cells for the first time,it is supposed to last  for a certain period of time (120days), how will new blood be formed again.. i am mean the continous supply of ''good'' blood?

manal

Manal,

The key is what they are learning to trigger the process of prompting stem cells to become blood cells. We've already seen how a somewhat primitive method has shown with retrodifferentiation creating red blood cells that provide at least 6 months of transfusion independence, and I think that once stem cell research gets going, we are going to see major advances. The goal is to get this happening for long periods. This is the same thing that needs to be seen with gene therapy. Will it continue to work over time or will boosters be needed? Even if treatment with stem cells is needed periodically, the result would be blood with a normal lifespan rather than the very short lifespan of transfused blood, and also a complete elimination of antibodies being transferred by transfusion. A normal lifetime for blood would also mean a normal iron load. This alone would make it all worthwhile.

I think we are in an age where medical advances are happening so fast that we will soon be seeing major changes in the treatment for thalassemia.

Ameen

manal

Ameen, hope to hear good news regarding stem cell therapy in soon future .. A cure with less risky and promising treatment  ....

Always Praying for this
Umair

I am literally holding my breath!! We need for something like this to work someday soon.  There have been too many impediments in the progress of this research in the past.  Thank god it is being encouraged to progress now.

Sharmin

I read a little about the Xcell center.  It is worth getting more info - I don't know if anyone should rush into anything - but perhaps be aware that this research exists. 

http://www.xcell-center.com/patient-stories/cerebral-palsy/anneke-van-iwaarden.aspx

Sharmin

That sounds amazing.

Zaini.

I read a little about the Xcell center

Sharmin Sis,
Here's something Regarding this study  " A Gamida Cell-TEVA Joint Venture Cell Therapy "
http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=2709.0

under this thread you will find two ore link related to this study ..


Umair

Thanks Umair,

You are right - these studies are linked.  I hope that something good comes out of them.  I also hope that until these therapies are proven safe - as Andy has said (http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=2736.0) - that patients will be weary of attempting them. 

It appears that there is more safety in using adult stem cells rather than embryonic stem cells - yet all of this is very new and the safety and efficacy is still unknown. 

I am glad however, that the potential is being explored.

Sharmin