Can hematopoietic stem cells form cells other than blood and immune cells?
This is a controversial topic. While some scientists have reported evidence that hematopoietic stem cells can repair cardiac tissue, others have proven otherwise. Another research group reported that the bone marrow contained cells that could repair the liver. Later studies showed that the bone marrow cells did not form liver cells, but rather fused with those cells. Despite these negative results, interesting new information has been gained. For example, in the case of studies with liver repair, we have learned that there are genes that are activated in response to injury and thus are important in the repair process.
