Barcodes & Blood Family Tree

The researchers at Lund University in Sweden have made it possible to monitor large blood cell populations by assigning a barcode to stem cells. They also monitor individual blood cells, and study the changes over time. It has been discovered that stem cells go through different stages where their ability to restore immune cells varies. This provides important information for the research and treatment of leukemia and autoimmune diseases.

It is suggested by studies in mice, that some of our white blood cells are only formed during the fetal period, and stay with us for the rest of …read more