All cells that make up human organs originate from stem cells that have divided to develop into specific tissue cells, forming the brain, lungs, or bone marrow, however stem cells of living organisms lose ability to proliferate with age, many lapse into permanent states if quiescence.
“A novel approach was applied in order to create more accurate computational models of stem cell behaviour relying on information about which genes are being transcribed to determines which proteins are responsible for the functional state of a given stem cells in its niche, meaning whether it will divide or remain in quiescence; modern cell biology technologies enable profiling of gene expression at single cell resolution.” according to Dr. Srikanth Ravichandran.
Most stem cells in the brains of older mice remain in quiescence states, using the computational model sFRP5 molecules were identified to be keeping neuronal stem cells inactive in the older mice, and prevents proliferation by blocking the Wnt pathway critical for cell differentiation.
Collaborators at the German Cancer Research Center studying neural stem cells in a dish first then later in mice were involved to experimentally validate computational predictions. Quiescent stem cells were observed to start proliferating more actively when the action of sFRP5 was neutralized, which were then available again to be recruited for regeneration processes of the aging brain. “Deactivation of sFRP5 lead cells to rejuvenation of sorts, as result the ratio of active to dormant stem cells in older mice brains became as favourable as in young animals.” according to Antonio del Sol. “..Computational models show that it is possible to identify essential features characteristic of specific stem cell states.. which an important step in stem cell based therapies… that is hoped to open new avenues for regenerative medicine.”
