A specialized type of bone-cell progenitor has been identified in the bone marrow, and shown to support the generation of immune cells called lymphocytes in response to movement.

It is pretty crowded in the bone marrow. Many types of stem and progenitor cell, including progenitors of immune cells, coexist side-by-side and are supported by nearby cells that generate specialized protective environments for the stem cells, called niches. The interplay between the cells of the niche, also known as stromal cells, and early progenitors of immune cells in the bone marrow is poorly understood. Insight into how this interplay is coordinated would help us to better understand how progenitors of immune cells are generated. Writing in Nature, Shen et al. have solved part of the puzzle by identifying a role for movement in stimulating communication between one type of stromal cell and immune progenitors in mice, ultimately helping the animals to fight infection.

ARTICLE HERE