title: Stem cells marked by the R-spondin receptor LGR5.
abstract: Since the discovery of LGR5 as a marker of intestinal stem cells, the field has developed explosively and led to many new avenues of research. The inner workings of the intestinal crypt stem cell niche are now well understood. The study of stem cell-enriched genes has uncovered some previously unknown aspects of the Wnt signaling pathway, the major driver of crypt dynamics. LGR5(+) stem cells can now be cultured over long periods in vitro as epithelial organoids or "mini-guts." This technology opens new possibilities of using cultured adult stem cells for drug development, disease modeling, gene therapy, and regenerative medicine. This review describes the rediscovery of crypt base columnar cells as LGR5(+) adult stem cells and summarizes subsequent progress, promises, unresolved issues, and challenges of the field.
authors.affiliation: Wellcome Trust - Medical Research Council Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England; Department of Genetics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England.
authors.forename: Bon-Kyoung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Institute/KNAW, Utrecht, The Netherlands; University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: h.clevers@hubrecht.eu.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Clevers
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D009940:Organoids; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013997:Time Factors; D060449:Wnt Signaling Pathway
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C116884:LGR5 protein, human; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
keywords: Intestine; LGR5; Organoid; Stem Cell