Notch signals control the fate of immature progenitor cells in the intestine

Silvia Fre; Mathilde Huyghe; Philippos Mourikis; Sylvie Robine; Daniel Louvard; Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas

doi:10.1038/nature03589

Notch signals control the fate of immature progenitor cells in the intestine

Nature. 2005 Jun 16;435(7044):964-8. doi: 10.1038/nature03589.

Authors

Silvia Fre¹, Mathilde Huyghe, Philippos Mourikis, Sylvie Robine, Daniel Louvard, Spyros Artavanis-Tsakonas

Affiliation

¹ Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Charlestown, Massachusetts 02129, USA.

PMID: 15959516
DOI: 10.1038/nature03589

Abstract

The Notch signalling pathway plays a crucial role in specifying cellular fates in metazoan development by regulating communication between adjacent cells. Correlative studies suggested an involvement of Notch in intestinal development. Here, by modulating Notch activity in the mouse intestine, we directly implicate Notch signals in intestinal cell lineage specification. We also show that Notch activation is capable of amplifying the intestinal progenitor pool while inhibiting cell differentiation. We conclude that Notch activity is required for the maintenance of proliferating crypt cells in the intestinal epithelium.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Animals
Apoptosis
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
Cell Differentiation
Cell Lineage*
Cell Proliferation
DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
Epithelial Cells / cytology
Epithelial Cells / metabolism
Female
Gene Expression Regulation
Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
Integrases / genetics
Integrases / metabolism
Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
Intestines / cytology*
Male
Mice
Mice, Transgenic
Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
RNA, Messenger / genetics
RNA, Messenger / metabolism
Receptor, Notch1
Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
Receptors, Cell Surface / metabolism*
Signal Transduction*
Stem Cells / cytology*
Stem Cells / metabolism*
Transcription Factor HES-1
Transcription Factors / genetics
Transcription Factors / metabolism*
Viral Proteins / genetics
Viral Proteins / metabolism

Substances

Atoh1 protein, mouse
Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
DNA-Binding Proteins
Hes1 protein, mouse
Homeodomain Proteins
Nerve Tissue Proteins
Neurog3 protein, mouse
Notch1 protein, mouse
RNA, Messenger
Receptor, Notch1
Receptors, Cell Surface
Transcription Factor HES-1
Transcription Factors
Viral Proteins
Cre recombinase
Integrases