Researchers at U.C. Santa Cruz have identified a key molecule that would aid in the process of performing bone marrow transplants, used to treat lymphoma and leukemia. The molecule, called Robo-4 is said to play a role in anchoring stem cells that live in bone marrow and differentiate into various kinds of mature blood cells into the bone marrow. Researchers are working to develop a way to inhibit Robo-4 and mobilize the hematopoietic stem cells from bone marrow with drugs. The team’s findings were published in the January issue of the scientific journal “Cell Stem Cell”.
