School of Science Division of Life Science 35 Genetic studies on stem cell regulation Supervisor: XIE, Ting / LIFS Co-supervisor: TU, Renjun / LIFS Student: WU, Kin Fung / BIOT Course: UROP1000, Summer Stem cell is a powerful cell that can differentiate into different specific cell types, this is due to its property of self-renewal and differentiation, unique from other cells. As a result, it is targeted to make use on therapy such as regenerative medicine therapy. However, the mechanisms of stem cells renewal and differentiation is still much unknown and it worths to be discovered. In this study, Drosophila ovary will be used to study the development of Germline Stem Cell. 25 RNAi Drosophila RNAi strains are screened and are targeted with three Gal4: nos-Gal4, c587-Gal4 and Bab1-Gal4 using GAL4/UAS system. Knocking down with Nos-gal4 will alter gene expression in germline, C587 will target escort cell and affecting differentiation and Bab1 will target Cap cells and terminal filament cell and affecting self-renewal. Genetic studies on stem cell regulation Supervisor: XIE, Ting / LIFS Co-supervisor: TU, Renjun / LIFS Student: XU, Rui / BCB Course: UROP4100, Fall The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) has been proven to be a vital messenger important in many biological processes, conveying the cAMP-dependent pathways. Apart from that, gap junctions are specialized intercellular connections that can be found in virtually all body tissues, taking charge of direct small molecular transportation. In Drosophila ovaries, this particular structure could mediate soma-germline communication. Our study investigated the role of cAMP synthesizing enzyme and gap junction structural protein-coding genes in the self-renewal niche mediating germline stem cell development in Drosophila by crossing Bab1-Gal4 with the correlated RNA interference (RNAi) lines (details are mentioned in the methodology part). Moreover, eventually, we proved that the normally functioning cAMP and gap junction are essential for coordinating the cell fate of germline stem cells and maintaining the equilibrium of the selfrenewal and differentiation balance.
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