Stem Cell Niche

Question 1

What is a stem cell niche?

Answer 1

A local tissue microenvironment that hosts and influences the behaviours or characteristics of stem cells.

Question 2

Concept of niche:

Answer 2

• Examination of bone marrow from healthy mouse spleen into irradiated mouse = survival
  -(Till and McCulloch, 1961) > colonies on spleen
• (Schofield, 1978) > HSCs need to reside in bone marroe to retain “infinite” potential