Australian researchers have created lab-engineered blood stem cells that closely resemble human stem cells. They say it could pave the way for personalised treatments for leukaemia and bone marrow failure disorders.
Melbourne-based Gaurav and Sonali Mahajan were in India when they first noticed bruises on their daughter's legs. Riya, who was 11 at the time, had also been suffering fevers and feeling fatigued. Tests revealed she had extremely low levels of platelets in her blood. The normal range is between 150,000 to 450,000. Riya's were at 4,000. The discovery fast-tracked the family's return to Australia.
associate professor Elizabeth Ng told SBS News. "It means that we can make blood stem cells from patient iPS cells, therefore we can make blood cells that are perfectly matched to a patient." She said this means the patient would have far less severe side effects. "They will be able to recover and rebuild a blood system following treatment without any of the side effects usually associated with blood stem cells that they get from a donor.
professor Andrew Elefanty is also involved in the research and said it also addresses donor shortages. "In some cases, it's very difficult for patients to find an appropriate donor. This is an additional way, in which, if you can use cells made from your own stem cells, that circumvents that problem," he said.
professor Ed Stanley said the findings could lead to new treatment options for a range of blood disorders. "Red blood cells are vital for oxygen transport and white blood cells are our immune defence, while platelets cause clotting to stop us bleeding," he said. "Understanding how these cells develop and function is like decoding a complex puzzle." In the study, immune-deficient mice were injected with the lab-made human blood stem cells.
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