Niche-associated Type IV collagen promotes GLP-1/Notch receptor activation in the C. elegans germline.

ABSTRACT: Basement membranes are thin and dense proteinaceous layers that surround tissues to maintain their structure. With age, chronic inflammation typically stiffens this basement membrane through a phenomenon called fibrosis, which is reflected by increasing levels of the basement membrane's main structural component, type IV collagen (COL IV). Tissue fibrosis and elevated Notch signalling are two co-occurring hallmarks of many inflammation-linked diseases, including cancer, but their in vivo relationship has not been clearly defined. Here we show that EMB-9/COL IV accumulation around the C. elegans germline stem cell niche promotes GLP-1/Notch receptor activation in germline stem cells. Moreover, we find that contrasting with previous beliefs, reducing GLP-1/Notch activity in vivo leads to a g

SUBMITTER: Martel PO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12549975 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature