Maturing cells more flexible than thought

Philadelphia -- U.S. scientists say maturing cells are much more flexible than thought, having the ability to develop either into T-cells or other blood cell types.

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine scientists said they found juvenile cells on their way to becoming mature immune cells can develop into various cell types versus only being committed to the T-cell path.

The finding has implications for better understanding how T-cell leukemia and other disorders arise, the researchers said.

"It is critically important to understand the life history of the T-cell lineage and to define the steps that multi-potent progenitor cells take to mature to T-cells," said lead author Jeremiah Bell. "Whether you're trying to understand T-cell immunodeficiencies, T-cell cancers, or other T-cell-related disorders, you first need to know the steps in T-cell development, and the signals acting at each step."

The study is detailed in the journal Nature.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.