Adult stem cells

Here is information about recent Whitehead accomplishments in work on adult stem cells. This work primarily focuses on advances in blood stem cells in mice and humans, and on the specialized stem cells that allow planarian worms to perform their remarkable feats of regeneration.

Single microRNA fine-tunes innate immune response (2008)
A single microRNA, microRNA-223, in mice controls the production and activation of granulocytes, white blood cells essential for host defense against invading pathogens.

How red blood cells nuke their nuclei (2008)
In the first mechanistic study of how a red blood cell loses its nucleus, the research sheds light on one of the most essential steps in mammalian evolution.

Human blood stem cells are multiplied 20-fold in culture (2008)
Advance offers promise for bone marrow transplants, gene therapy.

Heads or tails? Scientists identify gene that regulates polarity in regenerating flatworms (2007)
Inhibiting one gene resulted in animals making a head instead of a tail at the site of the wound.

Adult stem cells lack key pluripotency regulator (2007)
The protein Oct4, which helps to maintain embryonic stem cells, has been shown to be virtually absent in adult stem cells.

Cancer cells enlist adult stem cells to promote metastasis (2007)
The conscripts secrete a protein that fosters cell movement and invasion.

A path to regenerative medicine: mapping stem cell circuitry
Whitehead Member Richard Young April 2006
 [view video 220k]
  Video length: 28:03

Expanding blood stem cells for transplants and gene therapy
Whitehead Member Harvey Lodish April 2006
 [view video 220k]
  Video length: 32:11

Power in the blood (2006)

A new model for cancer involves stem cells
Whitehead Institute Visiting Scientist Tan Ince
March 15, 2006
 [view video 220k 56k]
  Video length: 3:45

Mad-cow culprit maintains stem cells (2006)

Powerful technique for multiplying adult stem cells may aid therapies (2006)

Novel mechanism for blood disease may lead to new drugs (2005)

Flatworms yield insights into the mystery of regeneration (2005)

New tools for an old can of worms (2005)

New Whitehead scientist uncovers the regenerative secrets of flatworms (2005)

Researchers discover mechanism for multiplying adult stem cells (2005)