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Stem Cell Competition for Niche Occupancy: Emerging Themes and Mechanisms

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Abstract

Tissue-specific adult stem cells are responsible for generating a range of various differentiated cells during their life time; these cells are intimately associated with niche for maintenance and function. Recent studies of germline stem cell niches in Drosophila gonad suggest that stem cells within a niche constantly compete with each other for niche occupancy. Competition within a niche occurs between same type of stem cells as well as different types. In both cases, cell adhesion molecules are critical in mediating the competition.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Erika Matunis and Valentina Greco for helpful discussions, anonymous reviewers and members of the Xi laboratory for helpful comments, Ning Yang for the illustrations, and Si Qi Wang for help with manuscript preparation. Research in our laboratory is supported by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology.

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  1. National Institute of Biological Sciences, No. 7 Science Park Road, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, Beijing, 102206, China

    Rui Zhao & Rongwen Xi

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  1. Rui Zhao
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Correspondence to Rongwen Xi.

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Zhao, R., Xi, R. Stem Cell Competition for Niche Occupancy: Emerging Themes and Mechanisms. Stem Cell Rev and Rep 6, 345–350 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12015-010-9128-3

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