For the first time, scientists have tracked what happens to stem cells decades after a transplant, lifting the lid on the procedure that has been a medical mystery for over 50 years.

Insights could pave the way for new strategies in donor selection and transplant success, potentially leading to safer, more effective transplants. 

Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators at the University of Zurich were able to map the behaviour of stem cells in recipients’ bodies up to three decades post-transplant, providing the first-ever glimpse into the long-term dynamics of these cells.
 
The study, published today (30 October) in the journal Nature and part-funded by Cancer Research UK, reveals that transplants from older donors, which are often less successful, have ten times fewer vital stem cells surviving the transplant process. Some of the surviving cells also lose the ability to produce the range of blood cells essential for a robust immune system.