How blood stem cells move from the bloodstream into bone marrow
Niche-specific endothelial mechanisms regulating the extravasation of hematopoietic stem cells
Researchers will use transparent zebrafish to uncover how donor blood stem cells enter bone marrow niches to help people needing stem cell transplants recover their immune systems faster.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11325781 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's point of view, the team will watch blood stem cells moving through blood vessels and into bone marrow using clear zebrafish embryos that let them see tiny cell behaviors in real time. They will focus on the blood vessel lining (endothelial) cells and molecules that help stem cells stick, pass through, or get taken up by those cells. The lab combines genetic and imaging tools to map which adhesion and endocytosis mechanisms are involved. The goal is to use those insights to guide new treatments that could speed donor stem cell lodging after transplant.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People preparing for or recovering from hematopoietic (bone marrow) stem cell transplants for blood or immune disorders would be the most likely candidates to benefit.
Not a fit: Patients with conditions unrelated to blood or immune-system transplants, or those not undergoing HSC transplantation, are unlikely to receive direct benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to therapies that make donor stem cells engraft faster, reducing the time patients are vulnerable to infections after transplant.
How similar studies have performed: Previous laboratory work found conserved gene signatures and high endocytosis activity in niche endothelial cells, but translating these findings into treatments to speed human engraftment remains novel and exploratory.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Boston Medical Center — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hagedorn, Elliott Jennings — Boston Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Hagedorn, Elliott Jennings
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.