A gut feeling: diet-sensing mesenchymal cells regulate intestinal stem cell function

Due to its remarkable regenerative capacity,the intestine and particularly intestinal stem cells(ISCs),have become a popular model for studying homeostasis,regeneration,and oncogenic transformation of adult mammalian tissues.In a recent paper published in Cell Research,Deng et al.report that Leptin receptor-positive mesenchymal cells surrounding intestinal crypts sense diet alterations and modulate ISC function via a stromal IGF1-epithelial IGF1R axis. Maintenance of the physiological functions of the gut epithelium,including preservation of barrier integrity,nutrient absorption,and hormonal regulation,is highly dependent on the self-renewal capacity of intestinal stem cells(ISCs).