Stem Cells Protect Gastric Mucosa, Study Finds

Scientists from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology in Japan have conducted a study revealing the role of stem cells in protecting the gastric mucosa, as published in Nature Communications. The gastric corpus, which is a vital part of the glandular stomach, consists of different types of cells that play important roles in digestion. Stem cells continuously generate and replace these specialized cells. However, problems in this process can lead to gastric disorders like gastric cancer and intestinal metaplasia. To understand the mechanisms involved, the research team focused on two signaling pathways responsible for stem cell differentiation. They used Quartz-Seq2 technology for single-cell RNA sequencing and conducted experiments with mice and in vitro gastric assays. The study identified the TGFa-EGFR-ERK signaling pathway as crucial for transforming stem cells into mucus-secreting pit cells. Additionally, the TNFSF12-NF-kB signaling pathway was found to help maintain undifferentiated gastric epithelial cells. These findings contribute to our understanding of maintaining a healthy stomach and lay the groundwork for future research on gastrointestinal diseases.

Re-reported from the article originally published in ANI English