MRISCs protect colonic stem cells from inflammatory damage

Abstract

Abstract Increasing evidence suggest functional roles of subepithelial mesenchymal niche cells in maintaining intestinal stem cells and in modulating the pathogenesis of various intestinal diseases in mammals. A recent study reported the discovery of a new population of stromal cells in mice termed MAP3K2-Regulated Intestinal Stromal Cells (MRISCs); these cells reside at the base of colonic crypt and function to protect colonic stem cells during colonic inflammation by expressing the Wnt agonist R-spondin1 (Rspo1).