Mating regulates stem cell division frequency in testes of Drosophila melanogaster

成体干细胞如何维持自身，以及它们如何产生专门的细胞来补充组织的问题，对于一些模型组织来说已经很好地理解了。然而，干细胞的活性是如何在成人体内被调节的，人们知之甚少。具体来说，干细胞是否能够在需要的情况下增加特化细胞的产生，还没有在任何模式生物中得到解决。在雄性果蝇中，每次生殖系干细胞分裂最终导致64个成熟配子的发育。初步研究表明，交配实验诱导的对更多配子的需求导致了一种反应：男性生殖系干细胞分裂的频率增加。研究人员计划使用遗传和分子技术来确定调节反应的通讯途径。研究结果将揭示生殖系干细胞中哪些组织参与了交流，哪些生化分子介导了交流，哪些靶基因根据需求被激活。这项研究的结果将对我们理解环境事件如何利用生化途径反馈给干细胞，从而影响成人体内特定组织的活力和活性产生广泛的影响。拟议的研究具有很强的教学和推广成分。果蝇是一种优良的模式生物，广泛应用于科研和教育。参与拟议研究的研究生、本科生、高中生和K-12教师将接受智力和技术上的培训。调查员已经培训了许多女性和少数民族学生，并打算继续从支持弱势群体学生的项目中招募学生。

The question how adult stem cells maintain themselves and how they produce specialized cells to replenish tissues is fairly well understood for several model tissues. However, how the activity of stem cells is regulated within the adult is only poorly understood. Specifically, whether stem cells can increase the production of specialized cells in situations of demand has not been addressed in any model organism yet.In male fruitflies, each germline stem cell division ultimately leads to the development of exactly 64 mature gametes. Preliminary studies show that demand for more gametes, induced by mating experiments, leads to a response: an increase in the frequency at which male germ line stem cells divide. The investigator plans to use genetic and molecular techniques for identifying the communication pathway regulating the response. It is expected that the studies reveal which tissues are involved in the communication, which biochemical molecules mediate the communication, and which target genes are activated within the germ line stem cells in reponse to demand. The outcome of the proposed research will have broad impacts on our understanding how environmental events utilize biochemical pathways to feed back on stem cells and thereby on the vitality and activity of specific tissues in the adult body. The proposed research has a strong teaching and outreach component. Fruitflies are an excellent model organims widely used in research and education. Graduate students, undergraduate students, high school students, and K-12 teachers participating in the proposed research will be trained both intellectually and technically. The investigator has trained many female and minority students and intends to continue recruiting students from programs supporting students from underrepresented groups.