Bone marrow‐derived very small embryonic‐like stem cells: Their developmental origin and biological significance

Abstract

Data from our and other laboratories provide evidence that bone marrow (BM) contains a population of stem cells that expresses early developmental markers such as (1) stage-specific embryonic antigen (SSEA) and (2) transcription factors Oct-4 and Nanog. These are the markers characteristic for embryonic stem cells, epiblast stem cells, and primordial germ cells (PGC). The presence of these stem cells in adult BM supports the concept that this organ contains some population of pluripotent stem cells that is deposited in embryogenesis during early gastrulation. We hypothesize that these cells could be direct descendants of the germ lineage that, to pass genes on to the next generations, has to create soma and, thus, becomes a "mother lineage" for all somatic cell lineages present in the adult body. Germ potential is established after conception in totipotent zygotes and retained in blastomeres of morula, cells from the inner cell mass of blastocyst, epiblast, and population of PGC. We will present a concept that SSEA ؉ Oct-4 ؉ Nanog ؉ cells identified in BM could be descendants of epiblast cells as well as some rare migrating astray PGC. Developmental Dynamics 236:3309 -3320, 2007.

Very small embryonic-like stem cells in adult tissues—Potential implications for aging

“…We also envision that VSELs are direct descendants from the germ lineage. From developmental point of view, this is the most important cell lineage in the body (Drenos et al, 2005;Kucia et al, 2007b;Ratajczak et al, 2007a;Weismann, 1885;Zwaka et al, 2005). The significance of this statement will be justified below.…”

The bone marrow niche: habitat to hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells, and unwitting host to molecular parasites

“…These combinations of markers go along with the concept that these cells may in fact be embryonic stem cells, epiblast stem cells and primordial germ cells. [72][73][74][75][76][77] These cells could also give rise to MSCs down the road. Thus, VSEL cells could reside on the top of the MSC hierarchy in bone marrow.…”

Stretching the limits: Stem cells in regeneration science

“…In addition, it will be interesting and instructive to compare the global gene activity patterns and epigenetic characteristics of iPS cells with those of ASCs and multipotent or pluripotent cells recovered from fresh or cultured bone marrow or from connective tissue cultures (Jiang et al, 2002;Young and Black, 2004;Kucia et al, 2007). Culture-derived multipotent cells have been reported to share some of the pluripotency gene expression and surface antigens of ESCs.…”