Stem Cells & Immunity: How They Work
- Frankfurt, Germany — An international research team has uncovered a surprising function of blood stem cells: they actively suppress inflammatory and immune responses.The finding, led by Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt...
- The human body regenerates its blood supply at an astonishing rate, producing roughly five million new blood cells every second.
- Professor Michael Rieger, of Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt, led the team that molecularly decoded the differentiation pathways of human blood stem cells.
Scientists have unveiled a remarkable discovery: blood stem cells actively suppress immune responses.This groundbreaking finding, stemming from research at Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt and Goethe University, sheds light on the critical role of blood stem cells and their potential to revolutionize stem cell transplants and treatments for leukemia. Learn how these cells, responsible for the constant regeneration of our blood, utilize the protein PD-L2 to protect themselves from immune-mediated damage. This research offers insights into how specialized blood cells, like erythrocytes and platelets, are made. News Directory 3 is proud to share this critical advancement in the medical field. Discover what’s next in this exciting arena of stem cell research and its impact on autoimmune diseases.
Blood Stem Cell Role: Immune Response Suppression Discovered
Updated June 18, 2025
Frankfurt, Germany — An international research team has uncovered a surprising function of blood stem cells: they actively suppress inflammatory and immune responses.The finding, led by Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt and Goethe University, highlights the critical role blood stem cells play and could have significant implications for stem cell transplants and leukemia treatment.
The human body regenerates its blood supply at an astonishing rate, producing roughly five million new blood cells every second. This process relies on blood stem cells in the bone marrow, which differentiate into various specialized blood cells, including erythrocytes, platelets, and white blood cells.Precise regulation of this differentiation is crucial for maintaining a balanced blood cell population.
Professor Michael Rieger, of Universitätsmedizin Frankfurt, led the team that molecularly decoded the differentiation pathways of human blood stem cells. Using advanced sequencing, the team analyzed gene and protein expression patterns in over 62,000 individual cells.
rieger said the research provided detailed insights into the unique characteristics of a stem cell and which genes regulate stem cell differentiation. he added that the technology will answer many unresolved questions in health research.
The team’s work revealed the presence of PD-L2, a protein on the surface of blood stem cells.According to Tessa Schmachtel, the study’s first author, PD-L2 suppresses the immune response of T cells by preventing their activation, proliferation, and the release of inflammatory substances.
Schmachtel believes PD-L2 protects stem cells from immune-mediated damage,especially during stem cell transplants. The protein could reduce the body’s rejection of transplanted stem cells.
Rieger emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in making groundbreaking discoveries.
what’s next
Further research will explore how to leverage the immune-suppressing role of blood stem cells to improve the success rates of stem cell transplants and develop new therapies for autoimmune diseases.