Beyond growth signaling: Paneth cells metabolically support ISCs

Single Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs) can be expanded in vitro into epithelial organoids or “mini-guts”, self-organizing cellular structures that recreate the intestinal differentiation program; Paneth cells, which constitute the intestinal stem cell niche, secrete stem cell growth signals, and are thus essential for this process. In a recent paper published in Nature, Rodriguez-Colman et al. describe how Paneth cells may be supporting the metabolic state of ISCs.