( normal circumstances. In some other ani...)Spleen may be source of versatile stem cells

normal circumstances. In some other animals, however, the protein has an intriguing function: when creatures like newts regenerate a lost limb or tail, production of Hox11 is radically increased. As reported in their SAGE KE article, the MGH team did find that Hox11 was produced in the spleens of adult mice by the same cells that regenerated the islets in the earlier study. They also found that these cells did not produce a protein known to be associated with a cellular commitment to develop into a particular type of tissue. Without that commitment, the splenic cells may be able to differentiate into a wider variety of cells than can adult stem cells from bone marrow, which do not produce Hox11. The researchers also note that the spleen develops from embryonic tissue that is known not only to generate precursors to many types of blood cells, a function shared by the bone marrow, but potentially to form such diverse organs as the small intestine, uterus, vascular system and lung. They theorize that a pocket of these uncommitted cells might remain in the spleen though adulthood. In addition to regeneration of islets, these cells might also produce bone cells - suggested by findings from other researchers - or potentially even cells of the nervous system, development of which depends on the correct production of Hox11. "We know that if you have a major loss of blood, the spleen is turned on to supplement the bone marrow in replenishing your blood supply. We may find that the spleen kicks in to help with many more biological emergencies. What has been considered a practically unnecessary organ may actually provide critical healing cells," says Faustman, an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. She adds, "This data also shows the kind of payback that can come from studies of lower animals like newts and sponges. Combining the knowledge of Hox11's role in those animals with what we'd found about islet cell regeneration in mice helped us find this prev
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Source:Massachusetts General Hospital


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