Kari F Lenhart

Stem cells are critical for maintenance of adult tissues, with defects in stem cell behavior leading to cancer and tissue degeneration. Yet many aspects of stem cell regulation are still poorly understood. In particular, how the stem cell specialized environment, or niche, is capable of controlling and coordinating multiple different types of stem cells within the same tissue remains largely unknown. In my lab, we study the simplified, easily accessible stem cell system of the Drosophila fruit fly testis to better understand niche-stem cell and stem cell-stem cell interactions. The fly testis, just like the mammalian testis, contains two different cell types- germ cells that will eventually become sperm and somatic cells that support the germline within the niche and as germ cell differentiate. Our lab has identified critical roles for these somatic cells in controlling multiple aspects of germline cell biology. Not only is the soma required during homeostasis to promote proper functioning of the tissue, but it is also essential to control tissue regeneration during stress and disease.