Stem cell fate in proliferating tissues: equal odds in a game of chance.
Quantitative lineage tracing reveals stem cell fate in vivo. A new study in a recent issue of Cell shows intestinal crypt stem cells are functionally equivalent, with equal odds of differentiation. Differentiating stem cells are replaced by the symmetric division of adjacent stem cells.
MRC Cancer Cell Unit, Hutchison-MRC Research Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge CB2 0XZ, UK. phj20@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk
Philip H
PH
Jones