Changing signal rhythms shifts balance of cell types in miniature gut models
A study conducted at the Hubrecht Institute reveals that the intestines use the rhythm of a signal to decide which cells to make. Researchers from the Sonnen group discovered that chemical signals oscillate at different rhythms in different cells of the small intestine. In a new study published in Science, they show that altering the frequency of these oscillations changes the balance of cell…
A recent study published in Science reveals that the intestines use the rhythm of chemical signals to determine which cell types to produce. Researchers from the Sonnen group at the Hubrecht Institute found that a protein called Hes1, which influences cell type production, oscillates in frequency between different cells in the small intestine.
By studying these oscillations in intestinal organoids, the team discovered that altering the frequency of these Hes1 oscillations changed the balance of cell types produced. This suggests that the timing of a signal can carry important information for cell fate decision-making, potentially shedding light on how tissues maintain healthy cell-type balances and how disrupted signaling dynamics might contribute to conditions like inflammation and cancer.
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