Survival Motor Neuron Protein Regulates Stem Cell Division, Proliferation, and Differentiation in Drosophila
Figure 7
SMN is essential for the maintenance of male germline stem cells.
(A, B) smnA mitotic clone in the Drosophila adult testis. Testes with GFP negative goniablasts and spermatocytes (A, *) but no GFP negative stem cell are scored. Stem cells are recognised by their proximity to the hub (B, *, FasIII positive). (C) Stem cells are lost at a greater rate in smnA mitotic clone testis when compared to a wild-type control. Stem cells were counted in control and smnA testis at 3 (control, n = 55; smnA, n = 56) and 11 (control, n = 72; smnA, n = 78) days. There was very significant stem cell loss in smnA at 11 days (p<0.001, T-test) when compared to the control. (D–G) U2 levels are reduced in smnA mitotic clones. The hatched region shows GFP negative clones. Arrows point to SMN negative nuclei with low U2. Scale bars, 10 µm.