Development of the Investigation for the Intestinal Epithelium Stem Cells

Abstract: Intestinal epithelium stem cells， which locate in the intestinal mucosa crypts， have the capacity to self-renew as well as the ability to generate differentiated cells. Both the continually renewing of intestinal epithelium cells and the repairing of the damage of intestinal mucosa all come from the cell proliferation and differentiation of intestinal epithelium stem cells. A three-tiered hierarchical system was proposed based upon the studies of their ability of anti-γ-irradiation. Every grade stem cells can adapt to a corresponding change of physiology and pathology. There are competitions among the intestinal epithelium stem cells. A single stem cell may gradually replace the other stem cells in a crypt with its own progeny， ultimately producing a monoclonal population of epithelial cells. Many relevant factors of the environment in which the stem cells locate and the telomerase are all important for their proliferation and differentiation. No distinctive natural marker of this kind stem cell has been found by now. Musashi-1(Msi-1)， hairy enhancer of the split-1(Hes-1) and β-integrin may relate with intestinal epithelium stem cells， stated by some scientists recently. It deserves to further insight on them.

CSTR: 32200.14.cjcb.2004.01.0002