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in the bone marrow
By imaging the bone marrow of mice, researchers have uncovered new details about hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
The team’s deep imaging technique confirmed some previous findings and unearthed new information about where HSCs are located and how they are maintained.
The researchers said these findings, published in Nature, provide a significant advance toward understanding the microenvironment in which HSCs reside.
“The bone marrow and [HSCs] are like a haystack with needles inside,” said study author Sean Morrison, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
“Researchers in the past have been able to find a few stem cells, but they’ve only seen a small percentage of the stem cells that are there, so there has been some controversy about where exactly they’re located.”
“We developed a technique that allows us to digitally reconstruct the entire haystack and see all the needles—all the [HSCs] that are present in the bone marrow—and to know exactly where they are and how far they are from every other cell type.”
The team began by identifying a genetic marker that is almost exclusively expressed in HSCs. They then took green fluorescent protein from jellyfish and inserted it into the genetic marker, Ctnnal1, so they could identify the HSCs.
“Using a tissue-clearing technique that makes the bone and bone marrow see-through, and employing a high-resolution, confocal microscope to scan the entire bone marrow compartment, we were able to image large segments of bone marrow to locate every [HSC] and its relation to other cells,” said Melih Acar, PhD, also of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
The team’s work yielded new findings and confirmed others. They found that HSCs tend to be clustered in the center of the bone marrow, not closer to bone surfaces as some researchers previously thought.
They also found that HSCs are indeed associated with sinusoidal blood vessels, and there are no spatially distinct niches for dividing and non-dividing HSCs.
“With this improved understanding of the microenvironment and mechanisms that maintain [HSCs], we are closer to being able to replicate the environment for [HSCs] in culture,” Dr Morrison said.
“That achievement would significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow transplants and potentially save thousands of additional lives each year.” 
in the bone marrow
By imaging the bone marrow of mice, researchers have uncovered new details about hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
The team’s deep imaging technique confirmed some previous findings and unearthed new information about where HSCs are located and how they are maintained.
The researchers said these findings, published in Nature, provide a significant advance toward understanding the microenvironment in which HSCs reside.
“The bone marrow and [HSCs] are like a haystack with needles inside,” said study author Sean Morrison, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
“Researchers in the past have been able to find a few stem cells, but they’ve only seen a small percentage of the stem cells that are there, so there has been some controversy about where exactly they’re located.”
“We developed a technique that allows us to digitally reconstruct the entire haystack and see all the needles—all the [HSCs] that are present in the bone marrow—and to know exactly where they are and how far they are from every other cell type.”
The team began by identifying a genetic marker that is almost exclusively expressed in HSCs. They then took green fluorescent protein from jellyfish and inserted it into the genetic marker, Ctnnal1, so they could identify the HSCs.
“Using a tissue-clearing technique that makes the bone and bone marrow see-through, and employing a high-resolution, confocal microscope to scan the entire bone marrow compartment, we were able to image large segments of bone marrow to locate every [HSC] and its relation to other cells,” said Melih Acar, PhD, also of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
The team’s work yielded new findings and confirmed others. They found that HSCs tend to be clustered in the center of the bone marrow, not closer to bone surfaces as some researchers previously thought.
They also found that HSCs are indeed associated with sinusoidal blood vessels, and there are no spatially distinct niches for dividing and non-dividing HSCs.
“With this improved understanding of the microenvironment and mechanisms that maintain [HSCs], we are closer to being able to replicate the environment for [HSCs] in culture,” Dr Morrison said.
“That achievement would significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow transplants and potentially save thousands of additional lives each year.”
in the bone marrow
By imaging the bone marrow of mice, researchers have uncovered new details about hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs).
The team’s deep imaging technique confirmed some previous findings and unearthed new information about where HSCs are located and how they are maintained.
The researchers said these findings, published in Nature, provide a significant advance toward understanding the microenvironment in which HSCs reside.
“The bone marrow and [HSCs] are like a haystack with needles inside,” said study author Sean Morrison, PhD, of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
“Researchers in the past have been able to find a few stem cells, but they’ve only seen a small percentage of the stem cells that are there, so there has been some controversy about where exactly they’re located.”
“We developed a technique that allows us to digitally reconstruct the entire haystack and see all the needles—all the [HSCs] that are present in the bone marrow—and to know exactly where they are and how far they are from every other cell type.”
The team began by identifying a genetic marker that is almost exclusively expressed in HSCs. They then took green fluorescent protein from jellyfish and inserted it into the genetic marker, Ctnnal1, so they could identify the HSCs.
“Using a tissue-clearing technique that makes the bone and bone marrow see-through, and employing a high-resolution, confocal microscope to scan the entire bone marrow compartment, we were able to image large segments of bone marrow to locate every [HSC] and its relation to other cells,” said Melih Acar, PhD, also of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
The team’s work yielded new findings and confirmed others. They found that HSCs tend to be clustered in the center of the bone marrow, not closer to bone surfaces as some researchers previously thought.
They also found that HSCs are indeed associated with sinusoidal blood vessels, and there are no spatially distinct niches for dividing and non-dividing HSCs.
“With this improved understanding of the microenvironment and mechanisms that maintain [HSCs], we are closer to being able to replicate the environment for [HSCs] in culture,” Dr Morrison said.
“That achievement would significantly improve the safety and effectiveness of bone marrow transplants and potentially save thousands of additional lives each year.”