Open AccessAn enteroendocrine cell‐based model for a quiescent intestinal stem cell niche
Author(s) -
Radford I. R.,
Lobachevsky P. N.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
cell proliferation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.647
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-2184
pISSN - 0960-7722
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2184.2006.00396.x
Subject(s) - stem cell , biology , enteroendocrine cell , microbiology and biotechnology , progenitor cell , crypt , niche , progenitor , cell growth , cell , genetics , biochemistry , endocrine system , endocrinology , hormone
. We have shown that the kinetics of conversion of intestinal crypt cell populations to a partially or wholly mutant phenotype are consistent with a model in which each crypt contains an infrequently dividing ‘deep’ stem cell that is the progenitor of several more frequently dividing ‘proximate’ stem cells. An assumption of our model is that each deep stem cell exists in a growth inhibitory niche. We have used information from the literature to develop a model for a quiescent intestinal stem cell niche. This niche is postulated to be primarily defined by an enteroendocrine cell type that maintains stem cell quiescence by secretion of growth inhibitory peptides such as somatostatin and guanylin/uroguanylin. Consistent with this model, there is evidence that the proteins postulated as defining a growth‐inhibitory stem cell niche can act as intestinal tumour suppressors. Confirmation that a growth‐inhibitory niche does exist would have important implications for our understanding of intestinal homeostasis and tumorigenesis.