Stem cell aging in the Drosophila ovary

Stem cell aging is controlled both intrinsically and extrinsically in the Drosophila ovary.

It is widely postulated that tissue aging could be, at least partially, caused by reduction of stem cell number, activity, or both. However, the mechanisms of controlling stem cell aging remain largely a mystery. Here, we use Drosophila ovarian germline stem cells (GSCs) as a model to demonstrate that age-dependent decline in the functions of stem cells and their niche contributes to overall st...

Caprin Controls Follicle Stem Cell Fate in the Drosophila Ovary

Adult stem cells must balance self-renewal and differentiation for tissue homeostasis. The Drosophila ovary has provided a wealth of information about the extrinsic niche signals and intrinsic molecular processes required to ensure appropriate germline stem cell renewal and differentiation. The factors controlling behavior of the more recently identified follicle stem cells of the ovary are les...

SnapShot: Stem Cell Niches of the Drosophila Testis and Ovary

Intestinal inflammation and stem cell homeostasis in aging Drosophila melanogaster

As a barrier epithelium, the intestinal epithelium has to coordinate physiological functions like digestion and nutrient resorption with the control of commensal bacteria and the prevention of pathogenic infections. It can therefore mount powerful innate immune and inflammatory responses, while, at the same time, maintaining tissue homeostasis through regenerative processes. How these different...

Egfr signaling controls the size of the stem cell precursor pool in the Drosophila ovary

In many animals, germline progenitors are kept undifferentiated to give rise to germline stem cells (GSCs), enabling continuous production of gametes throughout animal life. In the Drosophila ovary, GSCs arise from a subset of primordial germ cells (PGCs) that stay undifferentiated even after gametogenesis has started. How a certain population of PGCs is protected against differentiation, and t...