生物谷按：有关干细胞的自我更新机理，近年来进展十分迅速。三年前大家普遍认为是因为oct3/4和LIF信号通路维持了胚胎干细胞的自我更新。去年5月发现了重要的nanog因子，去年底进一步发展BMP4-ID信号通路在防止胚胎干细胞向外胚胎层（如神经）分化中起到关键作用。而国内有实验室正在筛选与OCT3/4相互作用的因子，OCTAP（或称OAP），文章也很快发表。而且去年又成功用胚胎干细胞诱导出生殖细胞。而这篇报道则是生殖干细胞自我更新机理中的重大进展。可以想象，下一个重要发现将在成体干细胞的自我更新机理，不同的干细胞的更新机理可能有一定差别。这篇报道是刚刚出版的science上，是著名的华人学者林海帆实验室的成果，生物谷将关注干细胞最新进展。
Nanos Maintains Germline Stem Cell Self-Renewal by Preventing Differentiation
Zhong Wang and Haifan Lin*
Despite much progress in understanding how extrinsic signaling regulates stem cell self-renewal, little is known about how cell-autonomous gene regulation controls this process. In Drosophila ovaries, germline stem cells (GSCs) divide asymmetrically to produce daughter GSCs and cystoblasts, the latter of which develop into germline cysts. Here, we show that removing the translational repressor Nanos from either GSCs or their precursors, the primordial germ cells (PGCs), causes both cell types to differentiate into germline cysts. Thus, Nanos is essential for both establishing and maintaining GSCs by preventing their precocious entry into oogenesis. These functions are likely achieved by repressing the translation of differentiation factors in PGCs and GSCs.
Original article:
Nanos Maintains Germline Stem Cell Self-Renewal by Preventing Differentiation
Zhong Wang and Haifan Lin
Science 26 March 2004: 2016-2019. Published online 19 February 2004 [DOI:10.1126/science.1093983]
[Full Text] [PDF] [Supporting Online Material]
生物谷内相关报道：
出生后哺乳动物卵巢中的幼稚干细胞和卵泡能自我更新
胚胎干细胞能模拟两性发育过程
海螺体内发现阻止人类胚胎干细胞分化的物质
BMP4诱导id蛋白抑制胚胎干细胞的分化维持自我更新
神经干细胞的自我更新因子Bim-1新研究
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