Scientists from the University of Liege (Belgium) have discovered an unexpected function of immune blood cells – their ability to multiply.
This was reported by the press service of the university.
The ability of a cell to divide – that is, to multiply – is necessary for life and gives rise to the formation of complex organisms from a single cell. It also allows used cells to be replaced from a limited number of “stem” cells, which then multiply and specialize, the article notes.
If proliferation is no longer properly regulated, it can lead to the development of various diseases, of which cancer is the most prominent example.
Current scientific knowledge indicates that most of the cells that make up a living organism come from so-called “stem” cells that have separated through a process called mitosis to give rise to more cells. These cells then stop proliferating to specialize, differentiate and form muscles, brain, bones, immune cells, etc., the scientists note.
In a new study, scientists have found that this ability to proliferate is not limited to stem cells, but is still an unknown function of immune blood cells called monocytes.
Blood monocytes, previously considered differentiated cells, are able to proliferate and create a pool of monocytes in tissues to give rise to macrophages, important immune cells that protect us from germs and keep our organs functioning properly.
According to the researchers, this discovery changes the idea of the role of cell division in the functioning of the human immune system.
This is a big fundamental discovery that changes our understanding of the role of cell proliferation in the formation and maintenance of our immune system, the researchers note. “Our discovery also suggests that the information that can be obtained from a blood monocyte count, traditionally performed in a blood test, will reflect little of what happens at the tissue level, such as during infection or inflammation, since monocytes can proliferate when enter the tissues.
Fortunately, this proliferation is very well controlled and does not lead to a tumor process. It has only one goal: to replace as efficiently as possible the immune cells that populate our tissues: macrophages, the scientists add.
The scientists note that the results of this study are also an excellent example of how technological progress can contribute to breakthrough scientific discoveries.
Only ten years ago it would have been very difficult, if not impossible, to study this population of proliferating monocytes with such resolution. The study required the use of state-of-the-art equipment, the generation of complex genomic data, and very complex bioinformatic analyses, the researchers note.
Source: Racurs
I am David Wyatt, a professional writer and journalist for Buna Times. I specialize in the world section of news coverage, where I bring to light stories and issues that affect us globally. As a graduate of Journalism, I have always had the passion to spread knowledge through writing.