Hematopoietic Stem Cells Shown to Make Blood Vessels

Bone marrow stem cells have been shown to have the capability of migrating to sites of blood vessel synthesis and maturing into blood vessel cells. The finding was reported in the June 2002 online issue of Nature.

Scientists at the University of Florida (Gainesville, USA; www.ufl.edu) developed a strain of transgenic mice which produced hematopoietic stem cells that express a green fluorescent protein. Stem cells from these mice were transplanted into the bone marrow of another type of mice that were models for the human eye condition known as retinopathy. Retinopathy is a diabetes-related degenerative process that injures existing blood vessels and triggers the formation of new capillaries. The new capillaries actually foster additional damage.

The researchers found that the new blood vessels that developed in the retinopathic mice after transplant contained cells with the green fluorescent protein. As the only source of this protein was the transplanted bone marrow, this was proof that homatopoietic stem cells could give rise to endothelial blood vessel cells.

"We have shown for the first time that adult blood stem cells can function to make blood vessels. We now know blood vessels can be formed from a remote location--they're not just repaired at the site of injury,” said Dr. Edward Scott. "That means we can now explore how to block that from happening to try to prevent things like diabetic retinopathy or enhance that activity to promote new blood vessel formation or blood vessel repair.”



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