Dormant blood stem cells discovered in mice by DKFZ

Researchers from the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and the stem cell institute HI-STEM in Heidelberg have identified an overlooked population of hematopoietic stem cells in mice, according to Yahoo Nachrichten DE. The findings, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, show that these cells remain in a state of deep quiescence significantly longer than previously known blood stem cells de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. After more than 200 days, between 10 and 15 percent of these newly characterized cells retained a low-division marker, compared to roughly 2 percent in standard stem cell populations de.nachrichten.yahoo.com.

Historically, isolation protocols relied on the CD150 surface marker, which excluded cells lacking this feature. The Heidelberg team found that the newly described population lacks CD150 but expresses the endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR), designating them as LT-HSC2 de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. The researchers reported that this subset expands the known pool of functional, long-term blood stem cells by more than 15 percent de.nachrichten.yahoo.com.

Resistance to inflammatory stimuli

The identified cells demonstrated distinct physiological properties during stress testing. When exposed to inflammatory signaling, specifically interleukin-1 and type-I interferon pathways, the LT-HSC2 cells exhibited lower activation rates in mice than conventional hematopoietic stem cells de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. While frequent division can deplete stem cell reserves, this relative insensitivity to inflammatory cues helps protect their long-term regenerative capacity de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. However, the exact molecular mechanisms maintaining this pronounced dormant state remain under investigation.

Lineage bias and transplantation

The LT-HSC2 subpopulation primarily differentiates into lymphocytes, the white blood cells responsible for adaptive immunity, while retaining the capability to generate erythrocytes, platelets, and other immune lineages de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. In serial transplantation experiments in mice, as few as 30 isolated cells reconstituted multiple blood cell lineages for over 48 weeks de.nachrichten.yahoo.com. The capacity persisted through secondary transplantations, and single-cell trials confirmed multi-lineage reconstitution. While the study was conducted entirely in mice, the team noted preliminary indications of a comparable human population, which will serve as the subject of future research.

DKFZ and HI-STEM identify dormant blood stem cell subset in mice

Resistance to inflammatory stimuli

Lineage bias and transplantation

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