Scientists Identify Mechanism Linking Exercise with Bone Strength and Immunity
February 25, 2021
Source: Ekaterina Kuznetsova/Unsplash
Scientists at the Children’s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified a new mechanism by which exercise strengthens bones and immune function. Their studies in laboratory-grown cells and in mice, highlighted a specialized bone marrow niche where new bone and immune cells are produced, and demonstrated that movement-induced stimulation is required for the maintenance of the niche and the bone and immune-forming cells that it contains. They suggest the results point to the potential development of new therapeutic strategies that might increase bone formation and immune responses, particularly in the elderly.
A study offers a new explanation for how exercise strengthens bones and the immune system.
Mar 2, 2021
ABOVE: Deep imaging of bone marrow in a mouse femur showing that osteolectin-expressing cells (red) are around arterioles (white) but not sinusoids (green), a different type of blood vessel in the bone marrow.
CHILDREN’S MEDICAL CENTER RESEARCH INSTITUTE AT UT SOUTHWESTERN
Mechanical forces from running and walking that are transmitted along blood vessels in marrow induce the growth of new bone and immune cells in mice, scientists reported in
Nature on February 24. The study is the first to demonstrate that mechanical forces can influence cellular growth and differentiation in the bone marrow, according to the authors, and provides a possible new explanation for how exercise strengthens bones and the immune system.
Researchers identify cells responsible for maintenance and regeneration of liver
While the amazing regenerative power of the liver has been known since ancient times, the cells responsible for maintaining and replenishing the liver have remained a mystery.
Now, research from the Children s Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) has identified the cells responsible for liver maintenance and regeneration while also pinpointing where they reside in the liver.
These findings, reported today in
Science, could help scientists answer important questions about liver maintenance, liver damage (such as from fatty liver or alcoholic liver disease), and liver cancer.
The liver performs vital functions, including chemical detoxification, blood protein production, bile excretion, and regulation of energy metabolism. Structurally, the liver is comprised of tissue units called lobules that, when cross-sectioned, resemble honeycombs.
Researchers Pinpoint the Workings behind Liver Regeneration
Liver section images showing fluorescently label hepatocytes in distinct zones. Each row is a different strain of lineage tracing mouse. [UT Southwestern Medical Center]
February 26, 2021
Liver section images showing fluorescently label hepatocytes in distinct zones. Each row is a different strain of lineage tracing mouse. [UT Southwestern Medical Center]
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The liver is the only solid organ that uses regenerative mechanisms to ensure that the liver-to-bodyweight ratio is always at 100% of what is required for body homeostasis. When the liver is injured beyond its ability to regenerate itself, a liver transplant is needed and used to treat conditions such as liver cancer, cirrhotic liver disease, acute liver failure, and genetic liver disorders. The amazing regenerative power of the liver is no secret. However, the cells and mechanisms behind it remained a mystery, until now. Researchers from the Children’s Medica
Scientists at the Children's Medical Center Research Institute at UT Southwestern (CRI) have identified the specialized environment, known as a niche, in the bone marrow where new bone and immune cells are produced.