Nervous System Plays Role In Stem Cell Regulation

Cancer patients whose immune systems are poor may get new hope from a research study conducted by the Mount Sinai School of Medicine which may result in improved stem cell therapies.

The research team led by the Mount Sinai School’s Paul Frenette has discovered that a critical role is played by the nervous system while infusing the bone marrow stem cells into the human bloodstream. The blood and immune cells come from the hematopoietic stem cells. The immune systems are being restored by hematopoietic stem cell transplants for patients who undergo intensive cancer therapy as at present. Donor cells are being harvested by doctors which are in the blood that is circulating. The exact process by which the enhancement of the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells by means of multiple chemicals is still unknown. The hematopoietic stem cell mobilization is elicited by the hematopoietic cytokine granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for critical bone marrow transplantations. Another compound known as the fucoidan can also activate stem cells. An important role is played by the nervous system for producing signals which contribute towards the stem cell niche.