Origin and adult renewal of the gut lacteal musculature from villus myofibroblasts.

ABSTRACT: Intestinal smooth muscles are the workhorse of the digestive system. Inside the millions of finger-like intestinal projections called villi, strands of smooth muscle cells contract to propel absorbed dietary fats through the adjacent lymphatic vessel, called the lacteal, sending fats into the blood circulation for energy production. Despite this vital function, how villus smooth muscles form, how they assemble alongside lacteals, and how they repair throughout life remain unknown. Here we combine single-cell RNA sequencing of the mouse intestine with quantitative lineage tracing to reveal the mechanisms of formation and differentiation of villus smooth muscle cells. Within the highly regenerative villus, we uncover a local hierarchy of subepithelial fibroblast progenitors that progress to

SUBMITTER: Sanketi BD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9882374 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature