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Science 7 June 2002:
Vol. 296. no. 5574, pp. 1855 - 1857
DOI: 10.1126/science.1069871
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Reports

Germline Stem Cells Anchored by Adherens Junctions in the Drosophila Ovary Niches

Xiaoqing Song, Chun-Hong Zhu, Chuong Doan, Ting Xie*

How stem cells are recruited to and maintained in their niches is crucial to understanding their regulation and use in regenerative medicine. Here, we demonstrate that DE-cadherin-mediated cell adhesion is required for anchoring germline stem cells (GSCs) in their niches in the Drosophila ovary. Two major components of this adhesion process, DE-cadherin and Armadillo/beta -catenin, accumulate at high levels in the junctions between GSCs and cap cells, one of the niche components. Removal of these proteins from GSCs results in stem cell loss. Furthermore, DE-cadherin is required for recruiting GSCs to their niche. Our study demonstrates that anchorage of GSCs in their niche by DE-cadherin-mediated adhesion is important for stem cell maintenance and function.

Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 East 50th Street, Kansas City, MO 64110, USA.
*   To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tgx{at}stowers-institute.org

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)