# Nanotube-mediated regulation of niche-stem cell signaling

> **NIH NIH R35** · UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT · 2021 · $398,750

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
 Adult tissue stem cells produce highly differentiated cells throughout life, contributing to the
tissue maintenance and repair. To balance between stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, a
stem cell often divides asymmetrically, generating one stem cell and one differentiating cell. Failure
of this process results in either tissue degeneration or tumorigenic overgrowth. The goal of my
research is to reveal molecular and cellular mechanisms that regulate asymmetric stem cell division
in the context of the microenvironment, or niche. For the next 5 years, I will primarily focus on the
mechanism by which the niche signal is spatially restricted, with emphasis on the novel stem cell
In my postdoctoral research on the Drosophila
testis, I discovered these previously unrecognized cellular protrusions, termed MT-nanotubes,
which extend into the niche only from the germline stem cells and not from the surrounding
differentiating cells. Based on my previous work, I hypothesize that the MT-nanotube is the cellular
mechanism that limits the niche signal specifically to stem cells: I found that the niche ligand as well
as its receptor are located on the surface of MT-nanotubes, likely mediating productive niche
signaling such that only stem cells experience a sufficient amount of niche-dependent signal
transduction. I will characterize the structure, function and universality of MT-nanotubes. These
efforts will reveal a new layer of regulation by which niches transmit signals to stem cells in a highly
selective manner. Successful completion of this study will provide a new paradigm for
understanding the mechanisms of niche-mediated stem cell self-renewal, and for
specific structure, MT (microtubule based)-nanotube.
understanding/preventing human pathologies that have been unexplained by existing paradigms of
stem cell biology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10228733
- **Project number:** 5R35GM128678-04
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT SCH OF MED/DNT
- **Principal Investigator:** Mayu Inaba-Oguro
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $398,750
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10228733

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10228733, Nanotube-mediated regulation of niche-stem cell signaling (5R35GM128678-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10228733. Licensed CC0.

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