Stem Cell Ecology (IMAGE)
Caption
In mouse testis, Kitadate et al. found that homeostasis of sperm stem cells is regulated through mechanisms analogous to those seen in a meadow. As cattle move around to graze, stem cells migrate to uptake and consume fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) secreted by cells beneath the basement membrane. Through competition for limited supply of FGFs that promote self-renewal, the stem cell number will fall naturally in a certain range. This is a kind of ecology: The number of stem cells (cattle) that a tissue (meadow) can maintain is determined, eventually, by the production rate of FGF (grasses). Further, as cattle become dense or sparse in areas with abundant or poor grasses, respectively, stem cells show biased distribution to the FGF source. Such "stem cell ecology" may be a principle shared by various tissues. Illustration by Sara Nishida.
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Sara Nishida
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