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Review
. 2013 Feb;1830(2):2410-26.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2012.08.006. Epub 2012 Aug 16.

Major signaling pathways in intestinal stem cells

Tim Vanuytsel  1 , Stefania Senger, Alessio Fasano, Terez Shea-Donohue
Affiliations
Review

Major signaling pathways in intestinal stem cells

Tim Vanuytsel et al. Biochim Biophys Acta. 2013 Feb.

Abstract

Background: The discovery of markers to identify the intestinal stem cell population and the generation of powerful transgenic mouse models to study stem cell physiology have led to seminal discoveries in stem cell biology.

Scope of review: In this review we give an overview of the current knowledge in the field of intestinal stem cells (ISCs) highlighting the most recent progress on markers defining the ISC population and pathways governing intestinal stem cell maintenance and differentiation. Furthermore we review their interaction with other stem cell related pathways. Finally we give an overview of alteration of these pathways in human inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases.

Major conclusions: We highlight the complex network of interactions occurring among different pathways and put in perspective the many layers of regulation that occur in maintaining the intestinal homeostasis.

General significance: Understanding the involvement of ISCs in inflammatory diseases can potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches to treat inflammatory GI pathologies such as IBD and celiac disease and could reveal the molecular mechanisms leading to the pathogenesis of dysplasia and cancer in inflammatory chronic conditions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Stem Cells.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of the crypt villus axis and the major signaling pathways involved in epithelium homeostasis.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Network of interactions among the Wnt, Notch, Hh, Bmp4, and Hippo pathways and with other cell signaling components. Dotted lines represent interactions observed in colon cancer cell lines and likely involved in normal stem cell signaling. Solid lines represent interactions proved known to occur in normal ISCs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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