It has come to the knowledge that a distinguished group of researchers of the University of Michigan have come out with a definite identification in the recent days of the first known gene that is required for the preservation of blood-forming stem cells in fetal mice, but not in adult mice. It has also been confirmed on the behalf of the reputed researchers that this discovery excels in providing a decisive insight into the definite mechanisms that has also been able to differentiate the fetal blood-forming stem cells from their adult counterparts. It is to be noted at the same time that in the implacable public debate over the funding on federal research, stem cells are generally assigned to one of two categories, which include embryonic or adult. However it is to be acknowledged that it is a forged dichotomy and a sweeping statement.   

In this esteem the innovative study on the behalf of the University of Michigan depicts in an efficient manner the increasing evidence that the position of the stem cells in the development of fetus happen to be distinct from both embryonic and adult stem cells. On the other hand, it is in the last more than a few years, there has been a realization on the part of the stem cell researchers that the fatal stem cells do comprise a separate class. It has been to their recognition, which the broad-spectrum conduct of the fetal blood-forming stem cells in umbilical cord blood happens to be in a different way than the adult blood-forming stem cells subsequent to the transplantation into patients.       

To the consideration of Dr. Morrison, the Director of the U-M Center for Stem Cell Biology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and also the person in charge of the investigative squad the conclusion could be probable towards a deeper understanding of diseases such as childhood leukemia. The deadly disease of leukemia occurring in the childhood is nothing but cancer that has its perilous effect on the blood-forming cells and in gradual course take control of the normal stem cell self-renewal procedure.

While answering to the questions of this correspondent Dr. Morrison said, "One of the next questions in our cross hairs is whether [the gene] Sox17 gets inappropriately activated in certain childhood leukemias, and that's an idea that nobody had in their mind before this work." "If it's true, it'll give us a new target for cancer," he concluded