Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Protocols for Analyzing the Role of Paneth Cells in Regenerating the Murine Intestine using Conditional Cre-lox Mouse Models
Published on: November 21, 2015
VIPR1 acts as an enteric neural checkpoint that suppresses intestinal stem cell-driven epithelial regeneration and
Chaoliang Li1, Haohao Wang1, Panrui Zhang2
1Department of Digestive Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, State Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China; Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, China.
None:
Intestinal stem cells (ISCs) drive epithelial renewal and regeneration, yet how neural cues shape ISC behavior remains unclear. Here, we identify a neuronal checkpoint that directly restrains ISC regenerative output during injury. We show that vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-producing enteric neurons directly signal to ISCs through the epithelial receptor VIP receptor 1 (VIPR1). In steady state, VIP-VIPR1 signaling restrains ISC hyperproliferation by engaging an extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-Notum-Wnt/β-catenin inhibitory axis. During colitis, VIPergic neurons expand within the ulcerated regions and amplify this pathway, thereby suppressing ISC-driven regeneration and exacerbating epithelial injury. Selective deletion of Vipr1 in the epithelium or in ISCs releases this neuronal brake, restores early regenerative activity, and markedly alleviates colitis. The ISC-suppressive function of VIP-VIPR1 signaling is conserved in human intestinal models. Together, these findings define VIPR1 as an ISC-intrinsic neuronal checkpoint that restricts ISC-driven epithelial regeneration and highlight epithelial VIPR1 blockade as a potential strategy to enhance mucosal regeneration in colitis.
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
Enteric Nervous System: Regulation of GI Motor Activity
During periods of fasting, the ENS initiates the migrating myoelectric complex, a...
Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response
Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...

