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Somatic control over the germline stem cell lineage during Drosophila spermatogenesis

Abstract

Stem cells divide both to produce new stem cells and to generate daughter cells that can differentiate1. The underlying mechanisms are not well understood, but conceptually are of two kinds2. Intrinsic mechanisms may control the unequal partitioning of determinants leading to asymmetric cell divisions that yield one stem cell and one differentiated daughter cell. Alternatively, extrinsic mechanisms, involving stromal cell signals, could cause daughter cells that remain in their proper niche to stay stem cells, whereas daughter cells that leave this niche differentiate. Here we use Drosophila spermatogenesis as a model stem cell system3 to show that there are excess stem cells and gonialblasts in testes that are deficient for Raf activity. In addition, the germline stem cell population remains active for a longer fraction of lifespan than in wild type. Finally, raf is required in somatic cells that surround germ cells. We conclude that a cell-extrinsic mechanism regulates germline stem cell behaviour.

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Figure 1: raf function restricts early germ cell number.
Figure 2: Early stage germ cells accumulate in raf-deficient testes.
Figure 3: Prolonged activity for the stem cell population in raf-deficient testes.
Figure 4: raf is required in cyst progenitor cells.

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Acknowledgements

We thank our laboratory staff, B. Calvi, A. Kiger, M. Fuller, E. Matunis and S. Wasserman for comments and suggestions. Fly stocks and reagents were contributed by the Bonini, Lipschitz, McKearin, Struhl, Wasserman and Xu labs, as well as the Bloomington Stock center and Iowa Hybridoma bank. The NSF and the NIH supports our work.

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  1. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to S.D..

    • Stephen DiNardo
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Tran, J., Brenner, T. & DiNardo, S. Somatic control over the germline stem cell lineage during Drosophila spermatogenesis. Nature 407, 754–757 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/35037613

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