UCLA scientists have identified a protein called MYCT1 that plays a crucial role in regulating the self-renewal of human blood stem cells. This protein helps them sense and interpret signals from their environment. The study, published in Nature, brings researchers closer to developing methods to expand these cells in a lab dish. Such a method could make life-saving transplants more available and increase the safety of cell-based treatments. Without MYCT1, blood stem cells become stressed and dysregulated. This leaves them unable to process signals from their environment properly. Restoring MYCT1 not only enables them to self-renew in culture but also allows these expanded cells to function effectively after being transplanted into mouse models. The researchers aim to find a way to maintain MYCT1 expression in these cells in culture and after transplant. This could improve the accessibility, effectiveness, safety, and affordability of blood stem cell transplants and gene therapies.
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Missing Piece for Blood Stem Cell Self-Renewal Identified
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