If stem cell is a product, is there any "Quality Inspector" to check product quality?
This really may be there. It is the scavenger in immune cells : macrophage .
htmlOn September 22, a study published in the journal " Science " showed that new hematopoietic stem cells must undergo the "quality test" of macrophages .
Researchers at the Stem Cell Project of Boston Children's Hospital using real-time imaging and cell barcode technology found that new hematopoietic stem cells move to a specific location. There, macrophages will "mix together" with them physically, making close "limb contact" each cell.
macrophages will swallow stem cells with signs of stress, which has a high level of " reactive oxygen species ", a toxic molecule.
Scientists further discovered that a cell surface marker called "calcliquotin" acts as a stress signal. Stem cells lacking or only having a small amount of calcified protein will not be eaten, and even appear to be removed by the macrophages and then cloned.
Although the focus of this study is on hematopoietic stem cells, the researchers believe that other stem cells may also have similar "quality control" behaviors.
As we all know, cancer cells can express the signal of "Don't Eat Me, don't eat me" to avoid the blows of the immune system. Scientists try to block these signals to achieve cancer treatment. Calcium reticulin acts as a signal for "Eat Me, Eat Me" , and also provides inspiration for scientists.
Scientists expect that introducing this signal into precancerous cells or cancer cells through small molecules or other targeted therapies may lead to changes in cancer treatment. Similarly, in the field of regenerative medicine, we can also use macrophages as a "quality inspector" to optimize the stem cell bank and improve cell therapy.
Therefore, this study has a significant potential impact on the future of cancer treatment and regenerative medicine.
