Abstract
AbstractDrosophilamale germline stem cells (GSCs) reside at the tip of the testis and surround a cluster of niche cells. It has been believed that the niche-derived Decapentaplegic (Dpp) ligand has a role in maintaining stem cells in close proximity but has no role in the differentiating cells spaced one-cell layer away. However, the range of Dpp diffusion has never been tested. Here, using genetically encoded nanobodies called Morphotrap, we physically block Dpp diffusion without interfering with niche-stem cell signaling. When Dpp diffusion is perturbed, differentiating germ cells frequently de-differentiated, suggesting that Dpp ensures differentiation of GSC daughter cells, opposing to its role in maintenance of GSC in the niche. Our work provides the evidence that a single niche ligand induces distinct cellular responses inside versus outside the niche, which may be a common mechanism to regulate tissue homeostasis.One sentence summaryA soluble BMP ligand diffuses from the niche and has dual, and opposite roles on stem cells and differentiating daughter cells.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Cited by
3 articles.
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