A PGC-1 Tale: Healthier Intestinal Stem Cells, Longer Life

PGC-1 regulates energy homeostasis and mitochondrial activity. In this issue, Rera et al. (2011) show that dPGC-1 overexpression in Drosophila intestinal stem cells and their immediate progeny extends organismal life span and protects against age-related loss of intestinal homeostasis and integrity, thereby establishing a link between mitochondria, tissue stem cells, and aging.