Single Lgr5 stem cells build crypt-villus structures in vitro without a mesenchymal niche.
The intestinal epithelium is the most rapidly self-renewing tissue in adult mammals. We have recently demonstrated the presence of about six cycling Lgr5(+) stem cells at the bottoms of small-intestinal crypts. Here we describe the establishment of long-term culture conditions under which single crypts undergo multiple crypt fission events, while simultanously generating villus-like epithelial domains in which all differentiated cell types are present. Single sorted Lgr5(+) stem cells can also initiate these cryptvillus organoids. Tracing experiments indicate that the Lgr5(+) stem-cell hierarchy is maintained in organoids. We conclude that intestinal cryptvillus units are self-organizing structures, which can be built from a single stem cell in the absence of a non-epithelial cellular niche.
Sato
Toshiro
T
Hubrecht Institute and University Medical Center Utrecht, Uppsalalaan 8, 3584CT Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Vries
Robert G
RG
Snippert
Hugo J
HJ
van de Wetering
Marc
M
Barker
Nick
N
Stange
Daniel E
DE
van Es
Johan H
JH
Abo
Arie
A
Kujala
Pekka
P
Peters
Peter J
PJ
Clevers
Hans
H