A cell atlas of the adult Drosophila midgut

Significance Studies of the adultDrosophila intestine have led to many insights in our understanding of cell-type diversity, stem cell regeneration, tissue homeostasis, and cell fate decision. Recent technological advances in RNA sequencing at the single-cell level allow profiling gene expression of individual cells, thereby shedding light on different cell types and their states. This approach reveals molecular markers for each cell type, including the roles of transcription factors in progenitors and mature cell types, such as enteroendocrine cells and enterocytes. Moreover, such a rich resource will pave ways for more efficient cross-species conservation, thus leading for a better understanding of the complex biology of the intestine.