Activated Protein C Improves Human Blood Stem-Cell Engraftment in Mice
Published in Biology, Journals, Tools.
Publication date: October 9, 2026.
University of Zurich researchers report that a brief laboratory treatment with activated protein C (aPC) can preserve human blood stem-cell function and improve engraftment in mice. The university described the findings on October 9, citing a study in EMBO Molecular Medicine.
The team, working with the University of California, Santa Cruz, compared aPC with thrombin. Both act through the PAR1 receptor, but their effects differed: aPC favored a resting state that retained stem-cell characteristics, whereas thrombin encouraged differentiation. Cells exposed to aPC were also less susceptible to activation by inflammatory signals.
A one-hour treatment before transplantation increased human blood-cell production in mouse recipients and supported blood formation through repeated transplantation. This suggests a possible way to protect regenerative capacity during laboratory processing for transplantation or gene therapy.
These are preclinical findings using human cells and animal recipients. They do not establish improved outcomes or safety in patients, and clinical validation would be needed before adopting this approach in routine care.
Sources: University of Zurich, October 9, 2026; EMBO Molecular Medicine study.