Stem cells

The focus of the Stem cells unit at IBCIT is on postnatal stem cells in the human bone marrow and in other mesoderm-derived tissues. Postnatal stem cells are viewed as a crucial system for modeling and treating diseases of bone and other tissues that do not have a cure. Main aims of our work are: i) the biological definition of identity, properties, phenotype and ontogeny of postnatal stem cells, ii) their use for modeling diseases of bone and other tissues in order to define key pathogenetic mechansisms, iii) their use in developing therapeutic strategies.

Unit members

Selected publications

Bianco P, Gehron Robey P, Simmons P: Mesenchymal stem cells: revisiting history, concepts and assays. CellStemCell 2:313-319, 2008

Mosig RA, Bowling O, DiFeo A, Ramirez MCM, Parker IC, Abe E, Diouri J, Al Aqeel A, Wylie JW,. Oblander SA, Madri J, Bianco P, Apte SS, Zaidi M, Doty SB,  Majeska RJ, Schaffler MB, Martignetti JA: Loss of MMP-2 disrupts skeletal and craniofacial development, and results in decreased bone mineralization, joint erosion and defects in osteoblast and osteoclast growth. Human Molecular Genetics, 16: 1113-1123, 2007

Heegaard AM , Corsi A, Danielsen CC, Nielsen KL, Riminucci M, Young MF, Bianco P. Biglycan deficiency causes spontaneous aortic dissection and rupture in mice. Circulation 115: 2687-2688, 2007  

Michienzi S, Cherman N, Holmbeck K, Funari A, Collins MT, Bianco P, Gehron Robey P, Riminucci M: GNAS transcripts in skeletal progenitors:  Evidence for random asymmetric allelic expression of Gsa. Human Molecular Genetics16:1921-1930, 2007

Sacchetti B, Funari A, Michienzi S, Di Cesare S, Piersanti S, Saggio I, Tagliafico E, Ferrari S, Gehron Robey P, Riminucci M, Bianco P: Self-renewing osteoprogenitors in bone marrow sinusoids can organize the hematopoietic microenvironment.  Cell 131: 324-336, 2007