Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 21, 2025

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models
Published on: November 21, 2015
CREPT is required for murine stem cell maintenance during intestinal regeneration
Liu Yang1, Haiyan Yang2, Yunxiang Chu3
1State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, School of Medicine, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, China.
Abstract:
Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) residing in the crypts are critical for the continual self-renewal and rapid recovery of the intestinal epithelium. The regulatory mechanism of ISCs is not fully understood. Here we report that CREPT, a recently identified tumor-promoting protein, is required for the maintenance of murine ISCs. CREPT is preferably expressed in the crypts but not in the villi. Deletion of CREPT in the intestinal epithelium of mice (Vil-CREPTKO) results in lower body weight and slow migration of epithelial cells in the intestine. Vil-CREPTKO intestine fails to regenerate after X-ray irradiation and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. Accordingly, the deletion of CREPT decreases the expression of genes related to the proliferation and differentiation of ISCs and reduces Lgr5+ cell numbers at homeostasis. We identify that CREPT deficiency downregulates Wnt signaling by impairing β-catenin accumulation in the nucleus of the crypt cells during regeneration. Our study provides a previously undefined regulator of ISCs.
Related Concept Videos
Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Adult Stem Cells
Stem Cell Niche
Maintenance of the ES Cell State

