Human red blood cells form without central 'hub' seen in mouse models, upending understanding of our physiology

MedicalXpress | Jul 02, 2026

Northwestern Medicine scientists have discovered that one of the body's most fundamental biological processes—how red blood cells are made—works differently in humans than previously thought, according to a new study published in Nature Genetics. The findings overturn decades of assumptions based largely on animal research, said study senior author Peng Ji, MD, Ph.D., the Marie A. Fleming Research Professor of Pathology.