The longest telomeres: a general signature of adult stem cell compartments

Identification of adult stem cells and their location (niches) is of great relevance for regenerative medicine. However, stem cell niches are still poorly defined in most adult tissues. Here, we show that the longest telomeres are a general feature of adult stem cell compartments. Using confocal tel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Genes & development 2008-03, Vol.22 (5), p.654-667
Main Authors: Flores, Ignacio, Canela, Andres, Vera, Elsa, Tejera, Agueda, Cotsarelis, George, Blasco, María A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult Stem Cells - metabolism
Adult Stem Cells - ultrastructure
Animals
Brain - cytology
Cellular Senescence - genetics
Cornea - cytology
Hair Follicle - cytology
Intestine, Small - cytology
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Research Paper
Skin - cytology
Telomere - metabolism
Telomere - ultrastructure
Testis - cytology
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Summary:Identification of adult stem cells and their location (niches) is of great relevance for regenerative medicine. However, stem cell niches are still poorly defined in most adult tissues. Here, we show that the longest telomeres are a general feature of adult stem cell compartments. Using confocal telomere quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (telomapping), we find gradients of telomere length within tissues, with the longest telomeres mapping to the known stem cell compartments. In mouse hair follicles, we show that cells with the longest telomeres map to the known stem cell compartments, colocalize with stem cell markers, and behave as stem cells upon treatment with mitogenic stimuli. Using K15-EGFP reporter mice, which mark hair follicle stem cells, we show that GFP-positive cells have the longest telomeres. The stem cell compartments in small intestine, testis, cornea, and brain of the mouse are also enriched in cells with the longest telomeres. This constitutes the description of a novel general property of adult stem cell compartments. Finally, we make the novel finding that telomeres shorten with age in different mouse stem cell compartments, which parallels a decline in stem cell functionality, suggesting that telomere loss may contribute to stem cell dysfunction with age.
ISSN:0890-9369
1549-5477
DOI:10.1101/gad.451008