The recent research conducted by the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) has unveiled groundbreaking insights into the complex systems of blood formation within the body. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, this study explores the dual origins of blood cells and the implications for immune function as individuals age.

Overview of Blood Formation Systems

Traditionally, the understanding of blood formation has revolved around a simple hierarchical model which begins with blood stem cells located in the bone marrow. These stem cells differentiate into multipotent progenitor cells (MPP), which then develop into various mature blood cell types. However, this research elucidates that there exists a second system of blood formation emerging from embryonic multipotent precursors (eMPP), which operate independently from the classic blood stem cells.

Key Findings

Through innovative methodologies that allowed for the tracking of cell development over extended periods in mice, the researchers uncovered several critical findings:

  • Approximately one-third of blood cells are generated from embryonic precursors (eMPP), diminishing with age.
  • eMPP primarily produce lymphocytes, a critical component of the immune system, whereas the cells derived from traditional blood stem cells predominantly generate myeloid cells, such as granulocytes and erythrocytes.
  • As individuals age, the availability of embryonic precursors diminishes, which may correlate with decreased immune system effectiveness.

The Importance of CD138

One of the pivotal discoveries of this study was the identification of a molecular marker, CD138, found on the cell membrane of eMPPs. This glycoprotein is crucial for their self-renewal and preferential lymphatic development. Researchers have introduced a novel method, termed PolySMART, which enables the simultaneous analysis of DNA markers alongside surface markers and gene expression patterns.

Rodewald, one of the lead researchers, stated, "

With CD138, we have found the first marker that allows us to specifically isolate embryonic precursor cells and study their function.

" This discovery indicates a potential pathway for deeper investigations into how the immune system evolves throughout a person's life.

Implications for Human Blood Formation

While this study was conducted on mice, the researchers advocate for further exploration to ascertain if human blood formation mirrors the findings observed in their experiments. Bioinformatician Höfer remarked, "The finding of a distinguishing feature in CD138 allows us to analyze the two blood formation systems separately for the first time. This is a milestone for stem cell research."

Research Methodology

The research utilized advanced techniques to label individual cells, tracking blood cell lineage over significant time spans. This allows scientists to better understand the distinct contributions of the two blood formation systems.

Research Highlights

Aspect Findings Significance
Blood Cell Origin One-third from eMPP Illustrates the complexity of blood formation
Effects of Aging Decreased eMPP with age May lead to impaired immune response
Molecular Marker CD138 identified as key marker Enables isolation of embryonic precursors

Conclusion

This study significantly enriches our understanding of hematopoiesis—the process of blood cell formation—by highlighting the role of embryonic precursors alongside traditional stem cells. The implications of these findings could lead to novel therapeutic approaches aimed at enhancing immune function, particularly in aging populations.

For further reading, see: Rodewald, Hans-Reimer et al. (2025). Multipotent progenitors with distinct origins, clonal lineage fates, transcriptomes, and surface markers yield two hematopoietic trees.

References

For detailed insights and supportive data, reference should be made to the original journal article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (2025). DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2505510122