Laboratory of Blood Cell Development
Lab head: Dr. Stuart Fraser
Location: Room 233, Medical Foundation Building
Our group is interested in the processes that regulate the formation and production of blood cells. This first occurs in the developing embryo. In fact, blood cells are the first mature cell types to form in the embryo. We are interested in how red blood cells form as well as haematopoietic stem cells (HSC), the "master" cells that can give rise to all blood cells.
We are interested in;
*Red blood cell formation in the embryo
*Production of HSC in developing embryo
*The processes regulating the condensation and expulsion of the nucleus from developing red blood cells.
*The evolutionary and molecular biology behind red blood cell enucleation.
*Understanding how macrophages regulate blood cell production.
*Relating our findings to human blood diseases.
Lab members: Miss Veronica Antas-Masters Student Dr. Angeles Sanchez-Perez, Senior Research Associate
Research approach equipment: Flow cytometry, cell culture, embryonic stem cells, hematopoietic stem cells, immunohistochemistry
Development of haematopoietic stem cells in the embryo and during disease.
Primary supervisor: Stuart Fraser
Haematopoietic stem cells are rare cells that form the basis of the blood system. These important cells are generated in embryonic development though the location and processes regulating their production are poorly defined. We will investigate when and where HSC form in the mouse embryo and what processes regulate this. We also wish to extend this to the diseased adult bone marrow to examine how HSC are maintained or possibly generated again under stress conditions. Techniques used will include analysis of embryos, flow cytometry, cell culture and imaging.
Keywords: Stem cells, Haematology, Embryology