Cadherin
Multipotent somatic stem cells contribute to the stem cell niche in the Drosophila testis
28/08/2008
Adult stem cells reside in specialized
microenvironments, or niches, that have an important
role in regulating stem cell behaviour1. Therefore,
tight control of niche number, size and function is
necessary to ensure the proper balance between stem
cells and progenitor cells available for tissue
homeostasis and wound repair. The stem cell niche in
the Drosophila male gonad is located at the tip of
the testis where germline and somatic stem cells
surround the apical hub, a cluster of approximately
10–15 somatic cells that is required for stem cell
self-renewal and maintenance2, 3, 4. Here we show
that somatic stem cells in the Drosophila testis
contribute to both the apical hub and the somatic
cyst cell lineage. The Drosophila orthologue of
epithelial cadherin (DE-cadherin) is required for
somatic stem cell maintenance and, consequently, the
apical hub. Furthermore, our data indicate that the
transcriptional repressor escargot regulates the
ability of somatic cells to assume and/or maintain
hub cell identity. These data highlight the dynamic
relationship between stem cells and the niche and
provide insight into genetic programmes that regulate
niche size and function to support normal tissue
homeostasis and organ regeneration throughout life.
Nature 454, 1132-1136 (28 August 2008) doi:10.1038/nature07173
Nature 454, 1132-1136 (28 August 2008) doi:10.1038/nature07173
|