Researchers have found that the signaling protein chemokine CXCL12 plays a key role in the process of red blood cell formation - the cells that carry oxygen in the blood. This news was published on News-Medical.
Scientists established that CXCL12 helps red blood cells get rid of their nucleus, which is a critical stage in their development. Red blood cells make up about 45% of the volume of human blood and perform the vital function of oxygen transport.
In nature, this process occurs in the bone marrow, where stem cells turn into erythroblasts, which then become red blood cells. The loss of the nucleus allows the cells to shrink and increase hemoglobin concentration, improving oxygen transport.
Leading scientists at University College London have taken a new step in understanding the process of artificial blood formation. They found that the protein CXCL12 plays an important role in the development of red blood cells, which may have significant implications for medical science and practice.