The illustration shows the new function of blood monocytes, namely their ability to proliferate in tissues before differentiating into macrophages, immune cells that play important roles in maintaining body homeostasis and health. Credit: Adeline Deward – Illumine
Cell division, or proliferation, is crucial for life, facilitating the evolution of complex organisms from a single cell and the renewal of expended cells from a handful of “stem” cells that multiply and specialize. In the context of cancer, however, this cell proliferation spirals out of control and becomes chaotic.GIGA Institute has uncovered that specific blood immune cells known as monocytes in a healthy person also possess the capacity to proliferate.
“This is a major fundamental discovery, which changes our conception of the involvement of cell proliferation in the constitution and maintenance of our immune system,” explains Thomas Marichal, director of the study.
This discovery, funded by the WEL Research Institute and by the European Research Council was possible thanks to the development of new tools and the use of innovative technologies.