Consistent with our previous results [15], the cell numbers of Nestin+ mesenchymal stem cells (Nes-MSCs) increased dramatically in the B-ALL+A2D group compared with those of the other groups (Ctrl, B-ALL and Ctrl+A2D), as indicated by whole-mount immunofluorescence staining (Fig. 1b). The gene discussed is NES; the disease is precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.