Tissues contain many different cell types, and it remains challenging to understand how they interact and contribute to tissue function. Now, state-of-the-art bioinformatics has enabled an international research team to uncover the complexity and high degree of conservation of the bone marrow microenvironment that regulates blood stem cells.

Blood stem cells can self-renew — thereby retaining their stemness — as well as differentiate, giving rise to all cell types in the blood, including white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. The bone marrow microenvironment or “niche,” where blood stem cells reside, is essential for regulating blood stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Yet, little is known about the cellular composition of the niche and the diverse functions of its constituents.

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Image: KAUST bioscientists are developing new methods to combine single-cell sequencing datasets, which will help to improve understanding of cellular identity and function. The team has used the method to study the bone marrow microenvironment in greater detail.
© 2022 KAUST; Joana C. Carvalho