15
May 2003
Stem cells: A gene for 'stemness'
Two groups report the identification of a key gene involved in the production of blood stem cells, and in doing so add support to the idea that there is a rare population of 'cancer stem cells' in the mixed bag of cells that constitute a tumour. The regulatory gene Bmi-1 is known to be expressed in mouse and human haematopoietic stem cells in liver and bone marrow. Now Bmi-1 is shown to regulate proliferation of both normal and leukaemic stem cells. Adult mice lacking the gene do not produce haematopoietic stem cells, and transplanted fetal liver and marrow cells from these mice contribute only transiently to blood formation. Molecular targeting of Bmi-1 in leukaemic stem cells may have potent and specific therapeutic effects.
Bmi-1 determines the proliferative capacity of
normal and leukaemic stem cells
JULIE LESSARD &
GUY SAUVAGEAU
Nature 423, 255–260 (2003); doi:10.1038/nature01572
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Bmi-1 is required for maintenance of adult self-renewing
haematopoietic stem cells
IN-KYUNG PARK, DALONG
QIAN, MARK KIEL, MICHAEL W. BECKER, MICHAEL PIHALJA, IRVING L. WEISSMAN, SEAN
J. MORRISON & MICHAEL F. CLARKE
Nature 423, 302–305
(2003); doi:10.1038/nature01587
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Stem cells: Self-renewal writ in blood
JOHN
E. DICK
The ability to self-renew is a defining property of stem cells, and
a protein in blood stem cells that controls their self-renewal has been discovered.
That same protein is also crucial for the development of leukaemia.
Nature
423, 231–233 (2003); doi:10.1038/423231a
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