Blood cells are made from stem cells in the bone marrow. These stem cells can adapt and develop into various types of blood cells, such as red and white blood cells. As we get older, these stem cells function less effectively. This contributes to a weaker immune system and blood clotting problems.
Scientists have now discovered that an intermediate form of cells, known as progenitor cells, suffers less from these signs of ageing. These progenitor cells appear to partially compensate for the loss of stem cell function and thereby maintain blood cell production for longer. This is a new step in understanding how our body remains healthy over the years.
Although it is still too early to say what this precisely means for treatments or health in old age, this discovery offers hope. It may help in the future in developing new therapies to support the immune system.
For people who want to age healthily, it is important to know that our body has various mechanisms to counteract decline. This research shows how complex and resilient our blood formation can be, even when the stem cells become less potent.
Source: Reason
