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Leukaemia

Niche retreats for stem cells

Nature volume 444, pages 827–828 (2006)Cite this article

Leukaemic cells and normal blood-producing cells relate differently to their surroundings. This concept has now been extended to leukaemic stem cells, suggesting a fresh approach to therapy.

Maintaining good neighbourhood relations is important for all cells in multicellular organisms. The complex interactions between adjacent cells and with their local microenvironment support the growth, development and function of the cells — and cancer cells are no exception. Writing in Nature Medicine, Jin et al.1 and Krause et al.2 report convincing evidence from two different models that CD44, a cell-surface receptor that mediates cell–cell contacts, helps the cells that give rise to leukaemia to engraft in the bone marrow. Notably, the normal cells that give rise to blood in the bone marrow do not apparently rely to the same extent on this receptor for their function, suggesting that CD44 might be a therapeutic target for leukaemia.

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Figure 1: Putative migration of stem cells between the bloodstream and bone marrow.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Experimental Hematology, Cincinnati Children's Research Foundation, Cincinnati, 45229, Ohio, USA

    David A. Williams

  2. Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, 45267, Ohio, USA

    Jose A. Cancelas

Authors
  1. David A. Williams
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  2. Jose A. Cancelas
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Williams, D., Cancelas, J. Niche retreats for stem cells. Nature 444, 827–828 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/444827a

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