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Updated: Jan 28, 2026

A Culture Method to Maintain Quiescent Human Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Published on: May 17, 2021
Lymphoid-Biased Hematopoietic Stem Cells Are Maintained with Age and Efficiently Generate Lymphoid Progeny
Encarnacion Montecino-Rodriguez1, Ying Kong1, David Casero1
1Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
Abstract:
Current models propose that reductions in the number of lymphoid-biased hematopoietic stem cells (Ly-HSCs) underlie age-related declines in lymphopoiesis. We show that Ly-HSCs do not decline in number with age. Old Ly-HSCs exhibit changes in gene expression and a myeloid-biased genetic profile, but we demonstrate that they retain normal lymphoid potential when removed from the old in vivo environment. Additional studies showing that interleukin-1 inhibits Ly-HSC lymphoid potential provide support for the hypothesis that increased production of inflammatory cytokines during aging underlies declines in lymphocyte production. These results indicate that current models proposing that lymphopoiesis declines with age due to loss of Ly-HSCs require revision and provide an additional perspective on why lymphocyte development in the elderly is attenuated.
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