Many adult tissues are renewed from small populations of stem cells, which continually replace differentiated cells lost to damage or age. Since tissue stem cells are highly dependent on signals from their local microenvironments, or niches, understanding how niches work is important for manipulating regeneration. To answer this question, the Matunis lab combines genetics, live imaging, and genome-wide approaches to understand how the germline and somatic cells in the testis that create and reside in the testis niche cooperatively ensure a lifetime supply of sperm.
Erika Matunis, Ph.D.
