Migration of stem cells: Role of the rhoA/ROCK I pathway (method)

Abstract

Cell migration is an important biological phenomenon that has come under the spotlight following the worldwide emergence of stem cell-based therapies. How a given stem cell migrates within an organism to reach its fi nal destination, known as the stem cell niche, to replenish a cellular system is a question of interest. The development of new cell-isolation and transfection techniques together with ex vivo culture systems have allowed the successful isolation, manipulation and expansion of stem cells. When combined with real-time imaging techniques, novel biochemical tools such as RNA interference oligonucleotides and animal models, have shed new light on the mechanisms that regulate stem cell migration. Here, we summarize the migration mechanisms that are based on biochemical pathways related to Rho GTPases. In particular, we focus on the RhoA/ROCK I pathway that affects the polarization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and therefore the driving forces underlying migration.