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PMID: 19664993 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Dedifferentiating spermatogonia outcompete somatic stem cells for niche occupancy in the Drosophila testis.

Cell stem cell ·Vol. 5 ·No. 2 ·2009-08-07 ·Pages 191-203

Sheng XR, Brawley CM, Matunis EL

Abstract

Differentiating cells can dedifferentiate to replace stem cells in aged or damaged tissues, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. In the Drosophila testis, a cluster of stromal cells called the hub creates a niche by locally activating Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (Jak-STAT) signaling in adjacent germline and somatic stem cells. Here, we establish a system to study spermatogonial dedifferentiation. Ectopically expressing the differentiation factor bag-of-marbles (Bam) removes germline stem cells from the niche. However, withdrawing ectopic Bam causes interconnected spermatogonia to fragment, move into the niche, exchange positions with resident somatic stem cells, and establish contact with the hub. Concomitantly, actin-based protrusions appear on subsets of spermatogonia, suggesting acquired motility. Furthermore, global downregulation of Jak-STAT signaling inhibits dedifferentiation, indicating that normal levels of pathway activation are required to promote movement of spermatogonia into the niche during dedifferentiation, where they outcompete somatic stem cells for niche occupancy.

MeSH Terms
Animals Drosophila Proteins/metabolism Drosophila melanogaster/cytology,metabolism Janus Kinases/metabolism Male STAT Transcription Factors/metabolism Signal Transduction/physiology Spermatogenesis Spermatogonia/cytology,metabolism Stem Cell Niche/cytology,metabolism Testis/cytology,metabolism
Chemicals
Drosophila Proteins STAT Transcription Factors bam protein, Drosophila Janus Kinases
Authors & Affiliations
3 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Sheng X Rebecca
Department of Cell Biology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
Brawley Crista M
Matunis Erika L
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Article Info
Journal
Cell stem cell
Abbr.
Cell Stem Cell
ISSN
1875-9777
DOI
10.1016/j.stem.2009.05.024
Published
2009-08-07
Pages
191-203
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101311472
PMCID
PMC2750779
Subset
IM
Grants
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD052937-02 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307-09 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD052937-01A1 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307-08 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD052937 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307-07 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · HD052937 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307-06 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD052937-03 · United States
NICHD NIH HHS · R01 HD040307-05A1 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2009.05.024 PMC Full Text View journal details
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