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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

Isolating Intestinal Stem Cells from Adult Drosophila Midguts by FACS to Study Stem Cell Behavior During Aging
Published on: December 16, 2014
Canonical Wnt Signaling Ameliorates Aging of Intestinal Stem Cells
Kodandaramireddy Nalapareddy1, Kalpana J Nattamai1, Rupali S Kumar1
1Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA.
Abstract:
Although intestinal homeostasis is maintained by intestinal stem cells (ISCs), regeneration is impaired upon aging. Here, we first uncover changes in intestinal architecture, cell number, and cell composition upon aging. Second, we identify a decline in the regenerative capacity of ISCs upon aging because of a decline in canonical Wnt signaling in ISCs. Changes in expression of Wnts are found in stem cells themselves and in their niche, including Paneth cells and mesenchyme. Third, reactivating canonical Wnt signaling enhances the function of both murine and human ISCs and, thus, ameliorates aging-associated phenotypes of ISCs in an organoid assay. Our data demonstrate a role for impaired Wnt signaling in physiological aging of ISCs and further identify potential therapeutic avenues to improve ISC regenerative potential upon aging.
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