Homeostasis of the adult colonic epithelium: a role for morphogens

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a complex organ system with a rapidly renewing epithelium that contains a large variety of highly specialized cell types. The epithelial microarchitecture shows a remarkable stability during our adult lives despite its high turnover rate. We have only a rudimentary understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of this homeostasis. The renewal of adult epithelium has several interesting similarities with patterning events during development. We (1) and others (2) have therefore used the term ‘morphostasis’ for this ongoing postnatal tissue patterning (from the Greek o (form) and (to stand)) in analogy with the developmental process of morphogenesis. The molecular controls of developmental patterning events are fairly well characterized and remarkably conserved across species. What is still needed is translational work to apply the insights into developmental patterning events to adult human GI epithelial morphostasis and its deregulation. In this review we discuss the role of patterning mechanisms in the maintenance of colonic epithelial homeostasis in the adult, and review our current understanding of the role of morphogens.

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