Regulation and functions of cell division in the intestinal tissue

In multicellular organisms, epithelial cells are key elements of tissue organization. In developing epithelial tissues, cellular proliferation and differentiation are under the tight regulation of morphogenetic programs to ensure correct organ formation and functioning. In these processes, proliferation rates and division orientation regulate the speed, timing and direction of tissue expansion but also its proper patterning. Moreover, tissue homeostasis relies on spatio-temporal modulations of daughter cell behavior and arrangement. These aspects are particularly crucial in the intestine, which is one of the most proliferative tissues in adults, making it a very attractive adult organ system to study the role of cell division on epithelial morphogenesis and organ function. Although epithelial cell division has been the subject of intense research for many years in multiple models, it still remains in its infancy in the context of the intestinal tissue. In this review, we focus on the current knowledge on cell division and regulatory mechanisms at play in the intestinal epithelial tissue, as well as their importance in developmental biology and physiopathology.