Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:12

Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

2.4K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
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...
2.4K
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal01:22

Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal

2.6K
Erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular carcinoma receptor (Eph) and its ligand, Eph receptor-interacting protein (Ephrin) were first discovered in the human carcinoma cell line, hence the name. Ephrin-Eph interaction guides cells to reach their appropriate location in adult tissues. They also play an essential role in the immune system by helping in immune cell migration, adhesion, and activation. Based on their structure and function, Eph is divided into two classes — EphA and EphB.
2.6K
Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells01:23

Renewal of Intestinal Stem Cells

3.2K
The intestinal epithelial lining rapidly renews every 4 to 5 days. The renewal is facilitated by intestinal stem cells (ISCs) located at the base of the crypt– a gland located at the bottom of each villus. ISCs divide asymmetrically to form new stem cells and progenitor daughter cells. The daughter cells are called transit-amplifying (TA) cells which move upwards along the crypt and either differentiate into absorptive cells– the enterocytes or secretory cells– including the...
3.2K
Autocrine Signaling01:01

Autocrine Signaling

52.1K
Autocrine signaling is one of the many signaling mechanisms that function inside multicellular organisms to carry out intercellular communication. In this type of signaling mechanism, the same cell that secretes an extracellular signaling molecule also expresses the receptors to bind and respond to that signaling molecule.
Autocrine Signaling in Macrophages
Under normal physiological conditions, autocrine signaling is essential for maintaining homeostasis. This process is well characterized in...
52.1K
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways01:19

Interactions Between Signaling Pathways

7.2K
Signaling cascades usually lack linearity. Multiple pathways interact and regulate one another, allowing cells to integrate and respond to diverse environmental stimuli.
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
7.2K
Notch Signaling Pathway03:14

Notch Signaling Pathway

6.4K
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
6.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Imbalance in WNT: retinoic acid signaling dysregulates HOX gene expression: implications for cancer stem cell heterogeneity and CRC patient survival.

Stem cells translational medicine·2026
Same author

A history of the collaborative group of the Americas on inherited gastrointestinal cancer (CGA-IGC): 1995-2025.

Familial cancer·2026
Same author

A Tissue Renewal-Based Mechanism Drives Colon Tumorigenesis.

Cancers·2026
Same author

Dynamic Organization of Cells in Colonic Epithelium is Encoded by Five Biological Rules.

Biology of the cell·2025
Same author

The Significance of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 in Cancers.

International journal of molecular sciences·2025
Same author

The Complexity and Significance of Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) Signaling for FGF-Targeted Cancer Therapies.

Cancers·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 16, 2026

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors
07:33

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors

Published on: May 17, 2013

35.8K

The Colonic Crypt: Cellular Dynamics and Signaling Pathways in Homeostasis and Cancer.

Anh L Nguyen1,2, Molly A Lausten1,2, Bruce M Boman1,2,3,4

  • 1Cawley Center for Translational Cancer Research, Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research Institute, 4701 Ogletown-Stanton Road, Newark, DE 19713, USA.

Cells
|September 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary

This review explores how normal colonic crypts maintain structure and how this organization is disrupted in colorectal cancer (CRC). It also discusses new therapies targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) for CRC treatment.

Keywords:
M cellsPaneth-like cellscolonic cryptcolorectal cancerenteroendocrine cellsepithelial–mesenchymal transitiongoblet cellssignaling pathwaysstem cellstuft cells

More Related Videos

Real Time Analysis of Metabolic Profile in Ex Vivo Mouse Intestinal Crypt Organoid Cultures
08:53

Real Time Analysis of Metabolic Profile in Ex Vivo Mouse Intestinal Crypt Organoid Cultures

Published on: November 3, 2014

16.6K
Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo
07:46

Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo

Published on: October 11, 2022

4.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2026

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors
07:33

In vitro Organoid Culture of Primary Mouse Colon Tumors

Published on: May 17, 2013

35.8K
Real Time Analysis of Metabolic Profile in Ex Vivo Mouse Intestinal Crypt Organoid Cultures
08:53

Real Time Analysis of Metabolic Profile in Ex Vivo Mouse Intestinal Crypt Organoid Cultures

Published on: November 3, 2014

16.6K
Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo
07:46

Three-Dimensional Culture of Murine Colonic Crypts to Study Intestinal Stem Cell Function Ex Vivo

Published on: October 11, 2022

4.0K

Area of Science:

  • Gastroenterology and Oncology
  • Cellular Biology and Signaling
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The colonic crypt is a complex epithelial unit essential for maintaining gut homeostasis.
  • Diverse cell types within the crypt are spatially organized and regulated by key signaling pathways like WNT, Notch, BMP, and FGF.
  • Understanding crypt organization is crucial for comprehending colorectal cancer (CRC) development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the maintenance of normal colonic crypt cellular organization.
  • To elucidate how this architecture is disrupted during colorectal cancer (CRC) tumorigenesis.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies targeting Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) in CRC.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of cellular organization in normal and cancerous colonic crypts.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways (WNT, Notch, BMP, FGF) involved in crypt homeostasis and disruption.
  • Examination of cellular changes and their implications in colorectal cancer (CRC) development.

Main Results:

  • Normal colonic crypts maintain homeostasis through precise spatial organization of cell types regulated by signaling pathways.
  • Colorectal cancer (CRC) development involves perturbation of crypt hierarchy, driven by cancer stem cells (CSCs) and altered cell phenotypes.
  • Disruption of signaling pathways (WNT, Notch, BMP, FGF) promotes stemness, inhibits differentiation, and enhances cellular plasticity in CRC.

Conclusions:

  • Colonic crypt organization is critical for homeostasis, and its disruption is a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC).
  • Specific cellular changes and signaling pathway dysregulation in CRC contribute to tumor progression and heterogeneity.
  • Emerging therapies targeting epithelial markers and regulatory factors offer potential for precision-based CRC treatment, including those addressing EMT.