Stem-cell scientists led by Dr. John Dick have discovered a completely
new view of how human blood is made, upending conventional dogma from
the 1960s. "Instead, through a series of experiments we have been able to finally
resolve how different kinds of blood cells form quickly from the stem
cell, the most potent blood cell in the system, and not further
downstream as has been traditionally thought," says Dr. Dick. The research also topples the textbook view that the blood development
system is stable once formed. Not so, says Dr. Dick. "Our findings show
that the blood system is two-tiered and changes between early human
development and adulthood."
For people with blood disorders and diseases, the potential clinical
utility of the findings is significant, unlocking a distinct route to
personalizing therapy.
There are also promising implications for advancing the global quest in
regenerative medicine to manufacture mature cell types such as platelets
or red blood cells by engineering cells (a process known as inducing
pluripotent stem cells), says Dr. Dick.
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