A blood-forming cell group changed less with age in mice
Comparisons of young and aged mice identified blood-forming precursor cells that retained their long-term ability to replenish lymphocytes, a type of immune cell.
Our read
Mechanisms- Studied:
- Experiments in young and aged mice, against other blood-forming stem and precursor cells
- What changed:
- MPP6 cells’ gene activity and regulation changed less with age than most other blood-forming stem and precursor cells
- The catch:
- Preserved lymphocyte production was assessed through transplantation
- Why it’s aging research:
- It studies organisms or tissues that aged naturally.
Editor of record: Boris Djordjevic · AgingResearch.News
Blood-forming stem cells and precursor cells from young and aged mice were compared in an animal experiment. Precursor cells can develop into more specialized blood cells. The researchers measured gene activity, DNA packaging, metabolism and fats. They also tested the cells’ ability to rebuild blood production through repeated transplantation.
One precursor group, called multipotent progenitor 6, retained its long-term ability to replenish lymphocytes, a type of immune cell, with age. Its gene activity and regulation changed relatively little. Most other stem and precursor cells changed more markedly, especially stem cells. Their changes included altered metabolism and accumulation of certain fats linked to increased oxidative stress—an imbalance involving reactive molecules. The results identified the precursor group as comparatively resilient, rather than unchanged by aging.
Why it matters
Aging shifts blood production away from lymphocytes. The authors suggest that this precursor group may be a potential target for restoring balance.
Caveats
Preserved lymphocyte production was assessed through transplantation in mice. The findings do not show that targeting these cells would restore blood-cell balance in older people.
- Inflammatory challenge
- Serial transplantation
- Cell cycle regulation
- Chromatin and 3D genome organization
- Global chromatin accessibility
- Mice
The paper
Max Planck Institute of Immunobiology and Epigenetics; ETH Zürich
Blood, Nov 5, 2026, CC BY-NC-ND
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