scholarly journals Unsupervised cell interaction profiling reveals major architectural differences between small intestinal and colonic epithelial crypts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason T. Serviss ◽  
Nathanael Andrews ◽  
Agneta B. Andersson ◽  
Ewa Dzwonkowska ◽  
Rosan Heijboer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Paneth Cell ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Interaction ◽  
Colonic Epithelium ◽  
Cellular Interactions ◽  
Small Intestinal ◽  
Cell Niche

AbstractCellular identity in complex multicellular organisms is strictly maintained over the course of life. This control is achieved in part by the organ structure itself, such that neighboring cells influence each other’s identity. However, large-scale investigation of the cellular interactome has been technically challenging. Here, we develop CIM-seq, an unsupervised and high-throughput method to analyze direct physical cell-cell interactions between every cell type in a given tissue. CIM-seq is based on RNA sequencing of incompletely dissociated cells, followed by computational deconvolution of these into their constituent cell types using machine learning. We use CIM-seq to define the cell interaction landscape of the mouse small intestinal and colonic epithelium, uncovering both known and novel interactions. Specifically, we find that the general architecture of the stem cell niche is radically different between the two tissues. In small intestine, the stem-Paneth cell interaction forms an exceptionally strong and exclusive niche, in which Paneth cells provide Wnt ligands1. In colonic epithelium, no similar compartment exists to support stem cells, and Wnt signaling is provided by a mesenchymal cell layer2,3. However, colonic stem cells are supported by an adjacent, previously unrecognized goblet cell subtype expressing the wound-healing marker Plet1, which is also highly upregulated during regeneration of colon epithelium. These results identify novel cellular interactions specific for the colonic stem cell niche and suggest an additional level of structural control in the colon. CIM-seq is broadly applicable to studies that aim to simultaneously investigate the constituent cell types and the global interaction profile in a specific tissue.

scholarly journals Stem cell niche signals Wnt, Hedgehog, and Notch distinctively regulate Drosophila follicle precursor cell differentiation

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Dai ◽  
Amy Peterson ◽  
Thomas Kenney ◽  
Denise J. Montell
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Adult Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Wnt Signalling ◽  
Main Body ◽  
Cell Niche

AbstractAdult stem cells commonly give rise to transit-amplifying progenitors, whose progeny differentiate into distinct cell types. Signals within the stem cell niche maintain the undifferentiated state. However it is unclear whether or how niche signals might also coordinate fate decisions within the progenitor pool. Here we use quantitative microscopy to elucidate distinct roles for Wnt, Hedgehog (Hh), and Notch signalling in progenitor development in the Drosophila ovary. Follicle stem cells (FSCs) self-renew and produce precursors whose progeny adopt distinct polar, stalk, and main body cell fates. We show that a steep gradient of Wnt signalling maintains a multipotent state in proximally located progenitor cells by inhibiting expression of the cell fate determinant Eyes Absent (Eya). A shallower gradient of Hh signalling controls the proliferation to differentiation transition. The combination of Notch and Wnt signalling specifies polar cells. These findings reveal a mechanism by which multiple niche signals coordinate cell fate diversification of progenitor cells.

scholarly journals Skeletal Muscle Stem Cell Niche from Birth to Old Age

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madalina-Gabriela Barbu ◽  
Andreea-Elena Boboc ◽  
Lidia Filip ◽  
Oana-Larisa Bugnar ◽  
Dragos Cretoiu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Satellite Cells ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Myogenic Differentiation ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Undifferentiated Cells ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Therapeutic Tools

Stem cells are defined as undifferentiated cells that are able to unlimitedly renew themselves within controlled conditions and to differentiate into a multitude of mature cell types. Skeletal muscle stem cells, represented predominantly by satellite cells, show a variable capability of self-renewal and myogenic differentiation. They were found to be involved not only in the growth of myofibers during neonatal and juvenile life but also in the regeneration of skeletal muscles after an injury. The microenvironment in which stem cells are nourished and maintained dormant preceding division and differentiation is known as “niche.” The niche consists of myofibers, which are believed to modulate the active/inactive state of the stem cells, extracellular matrix, neural networks, blood vessels, and a multitude of soluble molecules. It was observed that changes in the composition of the niche have an impact on the stem cell functions and hierarchy. Furthermore, it seems that its layout is variable throughout the entire life, translating into a decrease in the regenerative capacity of satellite cells in aged tissues. The scope of this chapter is to provide a detailed view of the changes that occur in the skeletal stem cell niche during life and to analyze their implications on tissue regeneration. Future studies should focus on developing new therapeutic tools for diseases involving muscle atrophy.

scholarly journals Engineering Hydrogel Microenvironments to Recapitulate the Stem Cell Niche

2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher M. Madl ◽  
Sarah C. Heilshorn
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Cell Fate ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Disease Modeling ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Patient Specific ◽  
Matrix Mechanics ◽  
Culture Models ◽  
Cell Niche

Stem cells are a powerful resource for many applications including regenerative medicine, patient-specific disease modeling, and toxicology screening. However, eliciting the desired behavior from stem cells, such as expansion in a naïve state or differentiation into a particular mature lineage, remains challenging. Drawing inspiration from the native stem cell niche, hydrogel platforms have been developed to regulate stem cell fate by controlling microenvironmental parameters including matrix mechanics, degradability, cell-adhesive ligand presentation, local microstructure, and cell–cell interactions. We survey techniques for modulating hydrogel properties and review the effects of microenvironmental parameters on maintaining stemness and controlling differentiation for a variety of stem cell types. Looking forward, we envision future hydrogel designs spanning a spectrum of complexity, ranging from simple, fully defined materials for industrial expansion of stem cells to complex, biomimetic systems for organotypic cell culture models.

Tissue Stem Cells and Stem Cell Niche of the Human Vocal Fold

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-213
Author(s):  
K. Sato ◽  
S. Chitose ◽  
K. Sato ◽  
F. Sato ◽  
T. Kurita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Vocal Fold ◽  
Cell Niche

scholarly journals Immunostaining of Lgr5, an Intestinal Stem Cell Marker, in Normal and Premalignant Human Gastrointestinal Tissue

2008 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 1168-1176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laren Becker ◽  
Qin Huang ◽  
Hiroshi Mashimo
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell ◽  
Stem Cell Niche ◽  
Intestinal Stem Cells ◽  
Stem Cell Marker ◽  
Tumor Initiating Cells ◽  
Colonic Adenomas ◽  
Potential Marker ◽  
Cell Niche ◽  
Crypt Base

Lgr5 has recently been identified as a murine marker of intestinal stem cells. Its expression has not been well characterized in human gastrointestinal tissues, but has been reported in certain cancers. With the increasing appreciation for the role of cancer stem cells or tumor-initiating cells in certain tumors, we sought to explore the expression of Lgr5 in normal and premalignant human gastrointestinal tissues. Using standard immunostaining, we compared expression of Lgr5 in normal colon and small intestine vs. small intestinal and colonic adenomas and Barrett's esophagus. In the normal tissue, Lgr5 was expressed in the expected stem cell niche, at the base of crypts, as seen in mice. However, in premalignant lesions, Lgr5+cells were not restricted to the crypt base. Additionally, their overall numbers were increased. In colonic adenomas, Lgr5+cells were commonly found clustered at the luminal surface and rarely at the crypt base. Finally, we compared immunostaining of Lgr5 with that of CD133, a previously characterized marker for tumor-initiating cells in colon cancer, and found that they identified distinct subpopulations of cells that were in close proximity, but did not costain. Our findings suggest that (1) Lgr5 is a potential marker of intestinal stem cells in humans and (2) loss of restriction to the stem cell niche is an early event in the premalignant transformation of stem cells and may play a role in carcinogenesis.

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