SCREENING METHOD FOR SELF-REPLICATION-ABILITY-RELATED GENES IN HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELLS, AND METHOD FOR USING SAID GENES

摘要

[Problem] To provide a method for separating long-term and short-term hematopoietic stem cells, a method for identifying genes specifically expressed in long-term hematopoietic stem cells, a method for identifying genes involved in long-term-hematopoietic-stem-cell-like long-term self-replication ability maintenance, and a method for imparting or enhancing a long-term self-replication ability maintenance characteristic in hematopoietic stem cells through use of such genes. [Solution] Using the Hoxb5 gene, which serves as a gene expressed only in long-term hematopoietic stem cells, as a marker makes it possible to separate long-term and short-term hematopoietic stem cells, and comparing these cell groups makes it possible to screen genes involved in the long-term self-replication ability maintenance characteristic. The self-replication ability maintenance characteristic was actually confirmed to be enhanced by causing the Hoxb5 gene specifically expressed only in long-term hematopoietic stem cells to be expressed in short-term hematopoietic stem cells.