Each subtype is defined by the expression of a particular set of genes, which provides clues about the cells’ function and stage of differentiation. The study describes how, by integrating single-cell gene expression data (single-cell RNA sequencing) for each of these cell types, the authors were able to unravel the heterogeneity of these niche cells, identifying multiple cellular subtypes and molecular states. Gomez-Cabrero, working with Spanish researchers at Clinica Universitaria de Navarra and the Center for Applied Medical Research, has carried out an integrative analysis of three distinct mouse BM niche datasets, focusing on two cell types that are involved in blood stem cell maintenance: endothelial and mesenchymal stromal cells. Single-cell technologies enable researchers to accurately profile the genes, proteins and metabolites in individual cells. Gomez-Cabrero has been developing new methods to combine single-cell sequencing datasets to improve understanding of cellular identity and function. “We don’t yet understand the composition of the BM niche and how it integrates local and systemic inputs to regulate hematopoiesis,” says David Gomez-Cabrero, a bioinformatician and computational biologist at KAUST. Yet, little is known about the cellular composition of the niche and the diverse functions of its constituents. The BM microenvironment or “niche,” where blood stem cells reside, is essential for regulating blood stem cell self-renewal and differentiation.

Now, state-of-the-art bioinformatics has enabled an international research team to uncover the complexity and high degree of conservation of the bone marrow (BM) microenvironment that regulates blood stem cells.īlood stem cells can self-renew - thereby retaining their stemness - as well as differentiate, giving rise to all cell types in the blood, including white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. Tissues contain many different cell types, and it remains challenging to understand how they interact and contribute to tissue function.

Braveland blood and bones