| abstract |
The present invention is based on the discovery that nitric oxide (NO) is an important growth regulator in an intact developing organism. In particular, the present invention relates to a method of increasing in a mammal a population of hematopoietic stem cells in bone marrow which are capable of undergoing normal hematopoiesis and differentiation, wherein the bone marrow is contacted with an inhibitor of NO, such as an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), thereby producing bone marrow having an increased population of hematopoietic stem cells which are capable of undergoing normal hematopoiesis and differentiation. The present invention also relates to a method of increasing a population of cells in S phase in a tissue of a mammal, comprising contacting the tissue with an inhibitor of NO, such as an inhibitor of NOS. The invention also pertains to a method of regenerating tissue in an adult mammal comprising contacting a selected tissue (e.g., blood, skin, bone and digestive epithelium), or precursor cells of the selected tissue, with an inhibitor of NO, thereby inhibiting differentiation and inducing proliferation of cells of the tissue. |