The contribution of bone marrow-derived cells to other organs is more extensive than previously thought. Bone marrow has been shown to contribute to myofibroblast populations in both damaged and undamaged tissues. To assess the bone marrow contribution to myofibroblasts in tumor stroma Direkze et al. transplanted male bone marrow into female transgenic mice that develop insulinomas. They found that male cells make significant contributions to the myofibroblast and fibroblast components of tumor stroma. These findings highlight the dynamic interaction between the bone marrow and a solid tumor, indicating a new portal through which to attack the tumor. For details, see the article by Direkze et al. on page 8492 of this issue.

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