Scientists have found that endothelial cells in the lymphatic vessels can produce molecules that are essential for the maintenance and regulation of stem cells and tissues in the intestine. The study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell revealed that the division and multiplication of intestinal stem cells are regulated by their surrounding niche, which is composed of several types of cell types that are the essential source of signals.

In the study, the team wanted to learn which cells help the intestinal epithelial cells repair themselves, particularly the role of lymphatic endothelial cells. Dr. Brisa Palikuqi, Ph.D., co-first author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow in the Klein Laboratory at Lymphatics express, stated that lymphatics are in very close proximity to the stem cells, and almost all the stem cell compartments are near lymphatics. She added that several factors, including a gene called Rspo3, are important for stem cells to function. Hence, to determine whether the gene plays an important role in intestinal stem cell regulation, the investigators deleted the gene in mice and then used single-cell sequencing to see how stem cells in the intestine would react without the Rspo3 gene.

Based on the mice model, they found that on deleting the gene, the stem cells and the intestine started to proliferate exponentially and replace a lot more cells daily. Dr. Jeremie Rispal, Ph.D., a postdoctoral researcher in the Klein Laboratory at UCSF and the other co-first author of the study, stated that this discovery showed that lymphatic endothelial cells are a key component of the intestinal niche and are essential for intestinal repair after cases of damage like chemotherapy. They noted that the study demonstrates how lymphatic endothelial cells play a much larger role than previously thought in stem cell regeneration. They may also have a vital role in disease pathophysiology. 

(Source: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/diagnostics/study-probes-how-the-intestine-repairs-damage-tissue/93388244 )