Despite the good development of the blood transfusion service, inventory, it is not always enough for medical needs, and scientists from around the world trying to find a solution to this issue. And, according to an article published in the journal Nature, may change the situation technique, researchers from Harvard University. They managed to develop the program of transformation “reprogrammed” stem cells in preparation for red blood cells. It can radically change the whole system transfusion and to open the possibility of creating an infinite supply of blood.
Lately, scientists have found a way to modify stem cells so that they can be turned into tissue of the bones, skin, muscular and nervous systems. In April 2012, scientists managed to modify stem cells so that they turned into hair follicles. After this was successfully carried out the transplantation of such “hair” laboratory mice. In 2016, Japanese scientists have collected a full copy of the various organs, such as kidneys or liver, from stem cells and even raised paw of the rat, successfully transplanted to her rodent. And now scientists have learned to “reprogram” stem cells in procurement for all types of blood cells.
Experts have observed in embryos of mice for the development of bone marrow and blood cells in it. This series of experiments helped identify the 26 hormones and other molecules involved in the formation of cells and also to test the effect of each of them on stem cells and embryos. During the surveys resulted in the discovery that the combination of all seven substances (ERG, HOXA5, HOXA9, HOXA10, LCOR, RUNX1 and SPI1) allows you to turn the stem cells in future blood cells. Then, having grown up a culture of such cells “in vitro”, the scientists implanted it in mice deprived of the immune system. As shown by the experiments, “blank” was successfully turned into blood cells, lymphocytes and other blood components. As stated by one of the authors of the study Ryohei Sugimura,
“This discovery gives you the opportunity to take cells from patients suffering from genetic blood diseases, to change their genes to create normal blood cells. Besides, now we can create an inexhaustible source of blood and blood stem cells, using cells of people with first blood. This will help us save the lives of those who are in urgent need of blood transfusion”.
Based on materials of RIA “news”
Found a way to create blood from stem cells
Vladimir Kuznetsov