title: Germline stem cells anchored by adherens junctions in the Drosophila ovary niches.
abstract: How stem cells are recruited to and maintained in their niches is crucial to understanding their regulation and use in regenerative medicine. Here, we demonstrate that DE-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion is required for anchoring germline stem cells (GSCs) in their niches in the Drosophila ovary. Two major components of this adhesion process, DE-cadherin and Armadillo/beta-catenin, accumulate at high levels in the junctions between GSCs and cap cells, one of the niche components. Removal of these proteins from GSCs results in stem cell loss. Furthermore, DE-cadherin is required for recruiting GSCs to their niche. Our study demonstrates that anchorage of GSCs in their niche by DE-cadherin-mediated adhesion is important for stem cell maintenance and function.
authors.affiliation: Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaoqing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chun-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Chuong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xie
mesh_terms: D022005:Adherens Junctions / Q000502:physiology*; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004330:Drosophila / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005260:Female; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D007814:Larva / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein
chemical_list: C495305:ARM protein, Drosophila; D051186:Armadillo Domain Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D019476:Insect Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; C074622:wg protein, Drosophila