Function and differentiation of blood cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Function and differentiation of blood cells
IRAS ID
127919
Contact name
Tessa Crompton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Institute of Child Health Joint R&D Office
Research summary
There are many different types of blood cell, including red blood cells, and cells of the immune system, which are often referred to as white blood cells. These different types of cell all arise from a common precursor cell, which is called a stem cell. Our aim is to understand what controls the way in which the stem cell gives rise to the different kinds of blood cell (red blood cells and white blood cells), and what controls the different possible functions of the blood cells that are produced. This work will form part of several different investigations that are funded by different funding bodies, including the Wellcome Trust and Asthma UK. We want to determine which signalling proteins are important in determining the fate of different types of blood cell as they develop, and which signalling proteins are important in regulating the function of the different types of blood cell. In order to do this, we plan to purify the different types of blood cell or their precursors from healthy human blood or from already partially purified fractions of blood, obtained from the NHSBT. We will then grow these cells in tissue culture, and treat them with different proteins, and test the impact of these treatments on their growth, development and function. In some experiments we may culture the blood cells with other cells types (eg. stromal cell lines of thymic epithelial cells) or we may introduce them into mice. In some experiments we may introduce new genes into the blood cells and test impact on their function and development. To analyse gene expression we may prepare RNA and DNA from cell populations. In some cases. we may freeze cells, RNA or DNA from blood material to use in future experiments.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NW/0431
Date of REC Opinion
22 May 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion