July 20, 2012

The Yin and Yang of stem cell quiescence and proliferation




The Yin and Yang of stem cell quiescence and proliferation

Non-canonical Wnt-signaling maintains a quiescent pool of blood-forming stem cells in mouse bone marrow

Jul 19 2012

KANSAS CITY, MO—Not all adult stem cells are created equal. Some are busy regenerating worn out or damaged tissues, while their quieter brethren serve as a strategic back-up crew that only steps in when demand shoots up. Now, researchers at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research have identified an important molecular cue that keeps quiescent mouse hematopoietic (or blood-forming) stem cells from proliferating when their services are not needed.

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