Publication Date:
2001-12-26
Description:
Stem cells, which regenerate tissue by producing differentiating cells, also produce cells that renew the stem cell population. Signals from regulatory microenvironments (niches) are thought to cause stem cells to retain self-renewing potential. However, the molecular characterization of niches remains an important goal. In Drosophila testes, germ line and somatic stem cells attach to a cluster of support cells called the hub. The hub specifically expresses Unpaired, a ligand activating the JAK-STAT (Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription) signaling cascade. Without JAK-STAT signaling, germ line stem cells differentiate but do not self-renew. Conversely, ectopic JAK-STAT signaling greatly expands both stem cell populations. We conclude that the support cells of the hub signal to adjacent stem cells by activation of the JAK-STAT pathway, thereby defining a niche for stem cell self-renewal.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Notes: 〈/span〉Tulina, N -- Matunis, E -- R01 HD040307/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ -- R01HD40307/HD/NICHD NIH HHS/ -- New York, N.Y. -- Science. 2001 Dec 21;294(5551):2546-9.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Author address: 〈/span〉Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 115 West University Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21210, USA.〈br /〉〈span class="detail_caption"〉Record origin:〈/span〉 〈a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11752575" target="_blank"〉PubMed〈/a〉
Keywords:
Animals
;
Cell Differentiation
;
Cell Lineage
;
Cell Survival
;
Contractile Proteins/analysis
;
DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics/*metabolism
;
Drosophila/cytology/genetics/*physiology
;
Drosophila Proteins/genetics/*metabolism
;
Gene Expression
;
Germ Cells/cytology/*physiology
;
Glycoproteins/genetics/*metabolism
;
Insect Proteins/genetics/metabolism
;
Janus Kinases
;
Ligands
;
Male
;
Microscopy, Confocal
;
Mutation
;
Protein-Tyrosine Kinases/genetics/*metabolism
;
STAT Transcription Factors
;
Signal Transduction
;
Spermatogenesis
;
Spermatogonia/physiology
;
Stem Cells/cytology/*physiology
;
Testis/cytology/metabolism
;
Trans-Activators/genetics/*metabolism
;
*Transcription Factors
Print ISSN:
0036-8075
Electronic ISSN:
1095-9203
Topics:
Biology
,
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Computer Science
,
Medicine
,
Natural Sciences in General
,
Physics
Permalink