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Protein homeostasis in higher eukaryotes is balanced by a dynamic network of adaptive mechanisms, including the unfolded protein response (UPR) and autophagy. In a paper recently published in Cell Research, Zhu and co-workers uncover a novel biological function of the unspliced form of the UPR transcription factor XBP1 in the modulation of autophagy through the control of FoxO1 turnover.
The transcription factor Foxp3 plays an indispensible role in the differentiation of regulatory T (Treg) cells and the expression of their suppressive functions. In a recent article published in Nature, Ouyang et al. demonstrate that Treg cell differentiation is also enabled by transcriptional networks controlled by another Forkhead box family member, Foxo1.
Why stem cell numbers decline with age is a major question in regenerative biology and medicine. Skeletal muscle has emerged as a powerful paradigm to address this issue. Recently, genetic and cell marking strategies were used to uncover a new and causal relationship between muscle stem cells and differentiated fibers that constitute their niche and provoke their loss.