Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are the building blocks of our blood and immune systems. They are the basis of the lifelong curative effects of hematopoietic grafts required in the treatment of hematological malignancies such as leukemia. In adults, CHS reside in the bone marrow, but are produced in very small quantities, very early in development, in the aorta of the embryo. 

Thierry Jaffredo (LBD) and his colleagues have developed an original, single-step, vector-free culture system for human induced pluripotent stem cells, enabling the production of transplantable, graftable and fully functional HSCs. 

This work will help identify the key regulators of HSC production during development, and provide a novel preclinical rationale for a new therapeutic approach using HSC transplants for hematological or inflammatory diseases.