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Stem cells

The blood balance

Nature volume 468, pages 644–645 (2010)Cite this article

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Blood cells are generated from haematopoietic stem cells on demand. The protein Lkb1, which lies at the crossroad of energy metabolism and cell growth, seems to regulate these stem cells' dynamics. See Articles p.653, p.659 & Letter p.701

The haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) give rise to all mature blood cells through the process of haematopoiesis. This rare cell population also maintains the balance of blood cells in response to stress, by fluctuating between quiescent and actively cycling states depending on physiological conditions. Transplantation of HSCs is an effective treatment for cancers, such as lymphoma and leukaemia, as well as for autoimmune diseases and other blood-related conditions1. But despite much information about the function and clinical relevance of HSCs, little is known about the energetics and metabolic control of HSC dynamics. Three papers2,3,4 in this issue describe a role for the protein Lkb1 in the metabolic regulation of HSCs.

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Figure 1: The regulatory role of Lkb1.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology/Oncology, Ellen M. Durand and Leonard I. Zon are at the Children's Hospital Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA. edurand@fas.harvard.edu; zon@enders.tch.harvard.edu,

    Ellen M. Durand & Leonard I. Zon

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  1. Ellen M. Durand
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  2. Leonard I. Zon
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Competing interests

L.I.Z. is a founder and shareholder of Fate Therapeutics, and a scientific adviser for Stemgent.

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Durand, E., Zon, L. The blood balance. Nature 468, 644–645 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/468644a

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