Researchers are reporting in studies using mice that they have developed a practical, efficient method for reprogramming adult endothelial cells (cells that line the blood vessels) into hematopoietic stem cells, a type of stem cell that can produce all blood cell types. The lab-grown stem cells could help expand the supply of stem cells used for treating leukemia and other blood disorders in people who need bone marrow transplants. The study, published in Nature, is partly funded by NHLBI.
Scientific American: Lab-Grown Blood Stem Cells Produced At Last