In:
eLife, eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd, Vol. 4 ( 2015-09-22)
Abstract:
In animals, stem cells divide to produce the new cells needed to grow and renew tissues and organs. Understanding the biology of these cells is of the utmost importance for developing new treatments for a wide range of human diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Before a stem cell divides, it copies its DNA and the two sets of genetic instructions are then separated so that the two daughter cells both have a complete set. This process needs to be as accurate as possible because any errors would result in incorrect genetic information being passed on to the daughter cells. Stem cells in the light-sensitive part of the eye—called the retina—divide to produce the cells that detect light and relay visual information to the brain. In many animals, these stem cells stop dividing soon after birth and the retina stops growing. However, the stem cells in frogs and fish continue to divide throughout the life of the animal, which enables the eye to keep on growing. A protein called YAP regulates the growth of organs in animal embryos, but it is not clear what role this protein plays in stem cells, particularly after birth. To address this question, Cabochette et al. studied YAP in the retina of frog tadpoles. The experiments show that YAP is produced in the stem cells of the retina after birth and is required for the retina to continue to grow. Cabochette et al. used tools called ‘photo-cleavable Morpholinos’ to alter the production of YAP in adult stem cells. The cells that produced less YAP copied their DNA more quickly and more of their DNA became damaged, which eventually led to the death of these cells. Further experiments revealed that YAP interacts with a protein called PKNOX1, which is involved in maintaining the integrity of DNA. Cabochette et al.'s findings provide the first insights into how YAP works in the stem cells of the retina and demonstrate that it plays a crucial role in regulating when DNA is copied. A future challenge is to find out whether YAP plays a similar role in the stem cells of other organs in adult animals.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
2050-084X
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.001
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.002
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.003
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.004
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.005
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.006
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.007
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.008
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.009
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.010
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.011
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.012
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.013
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.014
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.015
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.016
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.017
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.018
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.019
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.020
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.021
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.022
DOI:
10.7554/eLife.08488.023
Language:
English
Publisher:
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
Publication Date:
2015
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2687154-3
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