"Glow-in-the-Dark” Red Blood Cells Generated from Human Stem Cells

Australian stem cell scientists have engineered a human embryonic stem cell (hESC) line to glow red when the stem cells become red blood cells. The modified hESC line, called ErythRED, represents a major step forward to the eventual goal of creating mature, fully functional red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells.

The research conducted by a team led by Professors Andrew Elefanty and Ed Stanley from the Monash University Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories (Melbourne, VIC, Australia) that included scientists at the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (Parkville, VIC, Australia), was published in August 24, 2009, issue of the journal, Nature Methods. The project should help scientists to track the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into red blood cells.

While hESCs have the potential to turn into any cell type in the body, it remains a scientific challenge to transform effectively these stem cells into specific cell types such as red blood cells. The development of the ErythRED embryonic stem cell line, which fluoresces red when hemoglobin genes are switched on, is an important development that will help researchers to optimize the conditions that generate these cells.

"Not only will the ErythRED cell line lead to more efficient creation of red blood cells from human embryonic stem cells, but these cells are a crucial tool for monitoring the behavior of the cells when transplanted into animal models,” said Prof. Andrew Elefanty.

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Monash University Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories