Germ cells commit somatic stem cells to differentiation following priming by PI3K/Tor activity in the Drosophila testis.

ABSTRACT: How and when potential becomes restricted in differentiating stem cell daughters is poorly understood. While it is thought that signals from the niche are actively required to prevent differentiation, another model proposes that stem cells can reversibly transit between multiple states, some of which are primed, but not committed, to differentiate. In the Drosophila testis, somatic cyst stem cells (CySCs) generate cyst cells, which encapsulate the germline to support its development. We find that CySCs are maintained independently of niche self-renewal signals if activity of the PI3K/Tor pathway is inhibited. Conversely, PI3K/Tor is not sufficient alone to drive differentiation, suggesting that it acts to license cells for differentiation. Indeed, we find that the germline is required for

SUBMITTER: Yuen AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8699969 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature