Researchers carried the investigation all the way through to the identification of the gene itself. This particular gene is important because it helps regulate the number of adult stem cells in the body, particularly in bone marrow.

The researchers hope the gene, along with its protein product Latexin, can be used clinically, such as for growing the stem cell count in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation.

This process is not only interesting, but very important because of its usefulness in a wide variety of future genetics studies.

"We're thinking about cancer in a big way," Van Zant said. "This is a great example of translational research – from the most basic type of genetic research all the way to possible treatments for patients."

The main obstacle chemotherapy patients face is stem cell loss after treatments: this limits the dosage amount and types of chemotherapy that can be given. If Latexin were used to increase the stem cell count, patients would be able to receive increased doses of chemotherapy and be able to recover more quickly.

Increased stem cell counts also would be valuable during bone marrow transplants, where the greatest number of stem cells are desired to help a patient recover from cancer.

Another possible use for Latexin would be to help increase the number of stem cells available in umbilical cord blood, which also is used to transplant healthy stem cells in blood marrow transplants.

More details about Latexin and possible usage