Major Stem-Cell Discovery

Researchers have found a way to delay the aging of stem cells a discovery that could pave the way for new strategies to treat age-related diseases.

Experts at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies discovered that the stem cells surroundings, known as niches, are linked to age-related loss of stem cells. These cells are essential to all life, both human and not, because they divide and renew themselves throughout life, helping cells of both young and old. The niche signals to the cells when help is needed to renew tissue. But as the stem cells age, they lose effectiveness.

This latest discovery could help aging stem cells retain their effectiveness. Researchers focused on the niches and found that restoring the signals helped reverse the cells aging. A protein in the niche, known as lmp, could play a part in the cells age-reversal process. Treatments in the future could be aimed at upping the production of lmp.

This research opens new avenues for drug development aimed at stimulating a patient's own stem cells to overcome the consequences of aging," said Hila Toledano, a lead author of the study and a former Salk researcher now at the University of Haifa in Israel.

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Major Stem-Cell Discovery