Researchers from the group led by Prof. Emanuele Azzoni have discovered a new and unexpected origin of a subgroup of progenitor cells of the hematopoietic system during fetal development. The study shows that, before birth, specific blood cells are generated exclusively within particular fetal blood vessels, the vitelline and umbilical arteries.
These cells arise through a specialized differentiation process typical of early embryonic stages, during which the inner lining of blood vessels, known as the endothelium, temporarily acquires the ability to produce blood cells. The progenitor cells identified by the researchers are specific to the fetal stage and therefore contribute to blood cell production only during prenatal development, disappearing in adulthood.
This discovery expands our understanding of how the hematopoietic system is formed before birth. Identifying the timing and location of origin of these cells helps clarify how blood cells are “programmed” from the earliest stages of embryonic life.
The implications of this discovery for cancer research are very relevant, particularly for pediatric leukemias, which are thought to originate before birth. Understanding which fetal cells give rise to these leukemias could help explain why some of these diseases appear very early and why they behave differently from adult leukemias.
Beyond cancer, these findings may also impact regenerative medicine, for example, by supporting the development of new strategies to generate blood cells in vitro, and improve our understanding of congenital blood disorders.