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Author Spotlight: The 3D Culturing of Organoids from Murine Intestinal Crypts and a Single Stem Cell for Organoid Research
Published on: April 7, 2023
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Spen limits intestinal stem cell self-renewal.
Maheva Andriatsilavo1, Marine Stefanutti1, Katarzyna Siudeja1
1Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR 3215, INSERM U934, Stem Cells and Tissue Homeostasis group, Sorbonne Université, UPMC Univ Paris 6, Paris, France.
Plos Genetics
|November 20, 2018
Summary
The split-ends (spen) gene regulates adult stem cell fate in the Drosophila intestine. It controls stem cell commitment and limits proliferation, offering new insights into Spen protein functions.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- Precise regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation is crucial for tissue homeostasis.
- The adult Drosophila intestine serves as a model system for studying stem cell regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify novel regulators of intestinal stem cell (ISC) fate in Drosophila.
- To elucidate the role of the split-ends (spen) gene in ISC self-renewal and differentiation.
Main Methods:
- Genetic screening in adult Drosophila intestine.
- Two-color cell sorting of stem cells and their progeny.
- Analysis of RNA abundance and exon usage.
Main Results:
- The gene split-ends (spen) was identified as a novel regulator of ISC fate.
- spen functions intrinsically within ISCs to control early commitment events.
- spen in differentiated cells limits ISC proliferation.
- spen-dependent changes in RNA abundance and exon usage were characterized.
Conclusions:
- spen is a critical regulator of adult stem cell function in the Drosophila intestine.
- This study provides new insights into the functions of Spen-family proteins.
- The findings may illuminate Spen's role in other developmental contexts.
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