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Article by: Takia Mustafiz
Recently, researchers from Australia have finally proved the existence of a cell type that was predicted over 100 years ago. These cells were discovered hiding in the outer layer of grown mice's aortas.
The researchers named it the EndoMac progenitor and claimed it can be used to heal wounds of autoimmune patients. For example, they could slow down a diabetic patient's healing and tissue repair abilities. But how?
"These cells have an important job, to help grow blood vessels when the body calls for it," Sanuri Liyanage, a medical scientist from the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI), explained.
"They are activated by injury or poor blood flow, at which point they rapidly expand to aid in healing."
These cells also act like macrophage ‘maker’. It was hypothesised 100 years ago that “stem cells” circulate in the blood of mammals to produce and replace macrophages, cleansing the immune cell population residing in many tissues.
So how did they find out about all their properties in the first place?
Well, after being able to isolate them from the mice, Dr. Liyanage with her team of scientists across Australia first grew EndoMac progenitors in the lab for months.
Once they were ready, they carefully injected the colony into the bloodstream of a mouse who had an injury that mimicked a wound as if the creature was diabetic themselves. The wound had healed at a much rapid rate. After two weeks, they also discovered that the cells turned into macrophages and endothelial cells and lined several blood vessels.
This amazing discovery took nine years and the team is now hoping to find whether similar cells exist in human aortas, promising a breakthrough in biology upon being able to isolate them. The results of their findings have not yet been published, but the researchers have said that initial results were bright.
"In theory, this could become a game-changer for patients suffering from chronic wounds," says Liyanage.
“We’re excited to continue exploring the potential of these cells. It’s early days, but the implications could be massive,” Dr. Liyanage said, “This represents a significant advancement in our understanding of blood vessel regeneration and holds promise for creating more effective treatments that support the body’s capacity to heal and maintain function over time.”
Citations:
Cassella, C. (2024, September 26). Scientists just discovered a new cell. it was predicted 100 years ago. : ScienceAlert. ScienceAlert. https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-just-discovered-a-new-cell-it-was-predicted-100-years-ago
Sci.News. (2024, September 24). Researchers Discover New Type of Cell: EndoMac Progenitor. Sci.News: Breaking Science News. https://www.sci.news/biology/endomac-progenitor-13282.html
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