BCL-Xl Driven Accumulation of Dysfunctional Mitochondria in Aged Stromal Cells Impairs the Haematopoietic Stem Cell Response to Stress

The burden of infections is known to increase with age. Not only is ageing associated with greater susceptibility to infections but also an increase in subsequent morbidity and mortality. The bone marrow (BM) niche is essential for the body's response to infection. Haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) heavily rely on their supporting BM microenvironment to effectively expand and differentiate in response to stress and infection (1). The role of senescent cells has been explored in a number of age-related diseases including acute myeloid leukaemia (2). Here we explore the role of senescence during natural ageing in the BM microenvironment, the mechanism which drives this and how this impacts on the metabolic health of HSPCs.