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Human hematopoietic cell transplantation results in generation of donor-derived epithelial cells

Leukemia volume 19, pages 1287–1289 (2005)Cite this article

TO THE EDITOR

In spite of numerous published studies, the issue of the versatility of adult cells remains controversial. In humans, Fluorescence in situ hybridation (FISH) Y-chromosome studies in epithelial tissue sections have suggested the formation of donor-derived epithelial cells after male-to-female hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).1, 2 We recently described alternative explanations for some of the chimeric events found within histological sections such as cell overlapping and/or lymphocyte contamination.3 Furthermore, in histological sections epithelial cells are located within organ structures and it is therefore difficult to reveal the morphology of individual cells. Some believe that chimeric events found within epithelial structures (ie colon crypts, liver lobes) are not due to the actual generation of donor-derived epithelial cells but rather due to donor-nuclei or donor-derived nonepithelial cells located within the epithelium and completely enclosed by other cytokeratin (CK)+ cells. The purpose of the present study was to examine the origin of individual, single epithelial cells after human HCT. We chose to analyze buccal cells for two reasons. First, cells from oral mucosa are easily accessible, and second, oral scrapings allow isolation of single epithelial cells.

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Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Professor R Mertelsmann for supporting this study, critical discussions and contributions to this paper. We thank Mrs Sophie Krüger for excellent technical assistance. This work is supported by Landesstiftung Baden Württemberg (grant to AS).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Hematology/Oncology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany

    Y Metaxas, R Zeiser, M Waterhouse, P Faber, M Follo, H Bertz, J Finke & A Spyridonidis

  2. Department of Pathology, Freiburg University Medical Center, Freiburg, Germany

    A Schmitt-Graeff

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  1. Y Metaxas
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  2. R Zeiser
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  3. A Schmitt-Graeff
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  4. M Waterhouse
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  5. P Faber
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  6. M Follo
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  7. H Bertz
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  8. J Finke
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  9. A Spyridonidis
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Correspondence to A Spyridonidis.

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Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Leukemia website (http://www.nature.com.leu)

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Metaxas, Y., Zeiser, R., Schmitt-Graeff, A. et al. Human hematopoietic cell transplantation results in generation of donor-derived epithelial cells. Leukemia 19, 1287–1289 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.leu.2403789

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