title: Identifying the stem cell of the intestinal crypt: strategies and pitfalls.
abstract: Decades ago, two nonoverlapping crypt stem cell populations were proposed: Leblond's Crypt Base Columnar (CBC) cell and Potten's +4 cell. The identification of CBC markers including Lgr5 has confirmed Leblond's predictions that CBC cells are anatomically distinct, long-lived stem cells that permanently cycle. While Potten originally described +4 cells as proliferative and unusually radiation-sensitive, recent efforts to identify +4 stem cells have focused on the identification of cells that are quiescent and radiation-resistant. Here, we describe commonalities and discrepancies between the individual studies and discuss challenges of marker-based lineage tracing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Biology, 8A Biomedical Grove, Immunos 138648, Singapore.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van Oudenaarden
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Clevers
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002453:Cell Cycle; D002465:Cell Movement; D002469:Cell Separation; D022081:Cell Surface Extensions / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000378:metabolism*; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C116884:LGR5 protein, human; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled