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Failure to demonstrate pluripotential hemopoietic stem cells in mouse brains
Summary
Hematopoietic stem cells (CFU-s) were previously reported in mouse brains. This study found that CFU-s detected in mouse brain preparations likely originated from blood or bone marrow contamination, not brain tissue itself.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Neuroscience
- Stem Cell Biology
Background:
- Previous research suggested high frequencies of spleen colony-forming units (CFU-s) in mouse brains.
- These findings were particularly noted in Wf/Wf mice, which have a deficiency in bone marrow CFU-s.
Purpose of the Study:
- To verify the presence and origin of CFU-s in murine brain tissue.
- To investigate potential contamination sources for previously reported CFU-s in brain preparations.
Main Methods:
- Murine brains were processed to obtain single-cell suspensions using trypsin and DNase.
- Myelin was removed via Percoll gradient centrifugation.
- CFU-s were quantified per brain, with and without careful washing of isolated brains.
Main Results:
- Initial processing detected 2-13 CFU-s per brain.
- Careful washing of isolated brains significantly reduced CFU-s to 0.1-0.4 per brain.
- No CFU-s were detected in the brains of W/Wv mice, further supporting the contamination hypothesis.
Conclusions:
- The CFU-s detected in previous studies of mouse brain preparations likely originated from contaminating blood or bone marrow.
- The brain tissue itself does not appear to be a significant source of CFU-s.
- These findings necessitate a re-evaluation of the cellular composition of the brain regarding hematopoietic stem cells.