Name: adult stem cells in the small intestine
Uploaded: 2019-03-11T09:21:21.000Z
Duration: 1 min 33 s
Channel: JoVE

Some adult tissues contain stem cells, unspecialized cells that divide to produce new stem cells as well as progeny that differentiate into mature cell types. Adult stem cells are usually multipotent. They can produce multiple types of differentiated cells but are typically limited to the kinds found in that particular tissue.

For example, in the small intestine, stem cells produce all the cells in the epithelium of the villi that protrude into the lumen, the interior space, including absorptive cells, which absorb nutrients, and different types of secretory cells, such as goblet, paneth, and enteroendocrine cells.

The stem cells are found at the base of the crypts that lie between the villi. They divide asymmetrically to produce a new stem cell, renewing the population, and a transit amplifying cell.

These cells divide rapidly, move up the villi, and differentiate into the mature, intestinal cell types with their specialized structures and functions. When they reach the tip of the villi, they undergo apoptosis, programmed cell death, and are shed into the lumen. The time between stem cell division and apoptosis is about three to five days, allowing the lining of the small intestine to be rapidly and continuously replaced.

adult stem cells

Adult Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. All the cells in the body are generated from stem cells in the early embryo, but small populations of stem cells are also present in many adult tissues including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut. These adult stem cells typically produce the various cell types found in that tissue&mdash;to replace cells that are damaged or to continuously renew the tissue.

<h4>The Small Intestine</h4>

The epithelium lining the small intestine is continuously renewed by adult stem cells. It is the most rapidly replaced tissue in the human body, with most cells being replaced within 3-5 days. The intestinal epithelium consists of thousands of villi that protrude into the interior of the small intestine&mdash;increasing its surface area to aid in the absorption of nutrients.

Intestinal stem cells are located at the base of invaginations called crypts that lie between the villi. They divide to produce new stem cells, as well as daughter cells (called transit amplifying cells) that divide rapidly, move up the villi and differentiate into all the cell types in the intestinal epithelium, including absorptive, goblet, enteroendocrine, and Paneth cells. These mature cells continue to move up the villi as they carry out their functions, except Paneth cells which move back down to reside at the base of the crypt.

When the mature cells reach the top of the villi, they undergo apoptosis&mdash;programmed cell death&mdash;and are shed. New cells continue to push up from below, continuously replacing the cells that are lost.

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce more stem cells or progenitor cells that differentiate into mature, specialized cell types. ...

Education

JoVE Core

Biology

Genetics

Biotechnology

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

adult stem cells in the small intestine

Adult stem cells help maintain tissues by replacing old or damaged cells. These undifferentiated cells divide to make more stem cells or progenitor cells, which then become mature, specialized cells. Small groups of adult stem cells are found in many tissues, including the bone marrow, brain, skin, and gut.

The small intestine shows this process clearly. Its lining, called the epithelium, is renewed continuously by adult stem cells. It is also the fastest replaced tissue in the human body, with most cells being replaced within 3 to 5 days.

The intestinal epithelium contains thousands of villi, which are finger-like projections that extend into the inside of the small intestine and increase surface area for nutrient absorption. Intestinal stem cells sit at the base of crypts, which are small invaginations between the villi. They divide to form new stem cells and transit amplifying cells, a type of daughter cell that divides rapidly and moves upward.

As these cells rise along the villi, they differentiate into the main cell types of the intestinal epithelium. These include absorptive cells, goblet cells, enteroendocrine cells, and Paneth cells. Most mature cells keep moving upward as they work, while Paneth cells move back down to the base of the crypt.

When cells reach the top of the villi, they undergo apoptosis, or programmed cell death, and are shed. New cells from below keep pushing upward, so the lining is continuously replaced.

Adult Stem Cells in the Small Intestine

what is genetic engineering?

What is Genetic Engineering?

Overview

Genetic engineering is the process of modifying an organism&#x2019;s DNA to introduce new, desirable traits. Many organisms, from bacteria to ...

dna isolation

DNA Isolation

DNA from cells is required for many biotechnology and research applications, such as molecular cloning. To remove and purify DNA from cells, researchers ...

recombinant dna technology

Recombinant DNA Technology

Overview

Scientists create recombinant DNA by combining DNA from different sources&#x2014;often, other species&#x2014;in the laboratory. DNA cloning ...

Overview

The polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a widely used technique for copying segments of DNA. Due to exponential amplification, PCR can produce ...

complementary dna

Complementary DNA

Overview

Only genes that are transcribed into messenger RNA (mRNA) are active, or expressed. Scientists can, therefore, extract the mRNA from cells to ...

antibiotic selection

Antibiotic Selection

Overview

Researchers use antibiotic resistance genes to identify bacteria that possess a plasmid containing their gene of interest. Antibiotic resistance ...

transgenic organisms

Transgenic Organisms

Overview

Transgenic organisms are genetically engineered to carry transgenes&#x2014;genes from a different species&#x2014;as part of their genome. The ...

in-vitro mutagenesis (gene knockouts)

In-vitro Mutagenesis (Gene Knockouts)

To learn more about the function of a gene, researchers can observe what happens when the gene is inactivated or &#x201C;knocked out,&#x201D; by creating ...

crispr

CRISPR

Genome editing technologies allow scientists to modify an organism&rsquo;s DNA via the addition, removal, or rearrangement of genetic material at specific ...

gene therapy

Gene Therapy

Gene therapy is a technique where a gene is inserted into a person&#x2019;s cells to prevent or treat a serious disease. The added gene may be a healthy ...

embryonic stem cells

Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells are undifferentiated pluripotent cells, meaning they can produce any cell type in the body. This gives them tremendous potential ...

induced pluripotent stem cells

Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Stem cells are undifferentiated cells that divide and produce different types of cells. Ordinarily, cells that have differentiated into a specific cell ...

reproductive cloning

Reproductive Cloning

Reproductive cloning is the process of producing a genetically identical copy&mdash;a clone&mdash;of an entire organism. While clones can be produced by ...

genomics

Genomics

Genomics is the science of genomes: it is the study of all the genetic material of an organism. In humans, the genome consists of information carried in ...

key terms and concepts

Learn how adult stem cells renew the small intestine, from crypt stem cells to villi, and how new cells replace shed intestinal cells every few days.

Adult Stem Cells in the Small Intestine | JoVE K12

JoVE Core series brings biology to life through over 300 concise and easy-to-understand animated video lessons that explain key concepts in biology, plus more than 150 scientist-in-action videos that show actual research experiments conducted in today’s laboratories.

biology

myJoVE Corporation

Adult Stem Cells in the Small Intestine

Description

Transcript

Tags