“潘氏細胞”（Paneth cells,，即小腸上皮中的專門化細胞）已知通過生成殺菌化合物來保護干細胞。現(xiàn)在,，研究人員又報告了它們的另一關(guān)鍵功能：它們?yōu)樾∧c中表達Lgr5的干細胞提供必要的生境信號(EGF/TGFα, Notch and Wnt),。表達Lgr5的多能干細胞產(chǎn)生全部的小腸上皮細胞類型,，包括“潘氏細胞”在內(nèi)，干細胞生境經(jīng)常被看作是干細胞可向其遷移的預(yù)先存在的地點,。這項工作表明,，小腸干細胞從它們自己的后代獲得生境支持。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推薦原文出處：
Nature doi:10.1038/nature09637
Paneth cells constitute the niche for Lgr5 stem cells in intestinal crypts
Toshiro Sato,Johan H. van Es,Hugo J. Snippert,Daniel E. Stange,Robert G. Vries,Maaike van den Born,Nick Barker,Noah F. Shroyer,Marc van de Wetering& Hans Clevers
Homeostasis of self-renewing small intestinal crypts results from neutral competition between Lgr5 stem cells, which are small cycling cells located at crypt bottoms1, 2. Lgr5 stem cells are interspersed between terminally differentiated Paneth cells that are known to produce bactericidal products such as lysozyme and cryptdins/defensins3. Single Lgr5-expressing stem cells can be cultured to form long-lived, self-organizing crypt–villus organoids in the absence of non-epithelial niche cells4. Here we find a close physical association of Lgr5 stem cells with Paneth cells in mice, both in vivo and in vitro. CD24+ Paneth cells express EGF, TGF-α, Wnt3 and the Notch ligand Dll4, all essential signals for stem-cell maintenance in culture. Co-culturing of sorted stem cells with Paneth cells markedly improves organoid formation. This Paneth cell requirement can be substituted by a pulse of exogenous Wnt. Genetic removal of Paneth cells in vivo results in the concomitant loss of Lgr5 stem cells. In colon crypts, CD24+ cells residing between Lgr5 stem cells may represent the Paneth cell equivalents. We conclude that Lgr5 stem cells compete for essential niche signals provided by a specialized daughter cell, the Paneth cell.
