Q: Professor Ratajczak, your work has been honoured with Poland’s most prestigious award for scientific attainments granted by the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Foundation of Polish Science, popularly known as the Polish Nobel Prize. Could you describe in layman’s terms your contribution to stem cell research? In what way do your findings influence the future of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering?
A: My group identified in adult tissues a population of very small embryonic like stem cells (VSELs) which express several markers characteristic for pluripotent stem cells that are characteristic for epiblast/germ line- derived stem cells. We hypothesize that VSELs are a population of epiblast-derived cells that are deposited during early gastrulation in developing tissues/organs and play an important role in turnover of tissue specific/committed stem cells. This developmental deposition of VSELs in adult tissues may potentially play an underappreciated role in regulating the rejuvenation of senescent organs. Of note these embryonic-like cells are not controversial from ethical point of view, because they are isolated from the adult tissues.
Q: What are the practical implications of your research results for patients suffering from bone marrow diseases, HIV and certain forms of cancer?
A: We envision that the VSELs that are present in bone marrow are the most primitive long-term hematopoiesis repopulating stem cells. Furthermore, the regenerative potential of VSELs could be harnessed to decelerate aging processes and to treat damaged organs (e.g., heart after infarct, brain after stroke). To support this notion VSELs could are mobilized into peripheral blood and their number circulating in PB increases during tissue/organ injuries. Finally, we envision that in pathological situations VSELs are involved in development of some malignancies (e.g., teratomas, germinal tumors).
Q: Brain drain seems to affect the former east bloc countries in a particularly painful way. Not so many Polish research centres come up with world class results. Yet you combine your ground-breaking work at the University of Louisville in the US with your responsibilities as Head of the Physiology Department of the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin. The Szczecin university is also a renowned centre of research into the role of genetic factors in the origins of cancer. Why would you say research at the Szczecin university is so successful?
A: The most important reason is that the Pomeranian Medical University created a right environment to develop cutting-edge research. On the other hand there are many talented young people in this city - kids of the pioneer settlers in the wake of post-war border shifts. The post-war environment created a “melting pot” for the immigrants coming form the different part of Poland to Pomerania. In these hard conditions there emerged a new generation of young talented people.