Higher eukaryotes contain populations of stem cells responsible for the homeostasis of adult organisms.  Often, these populations are found in microenvironments or ‘niches’ that prevent the pull towards differentiation characteristic of most cell types.  One such a niche has been described in the Drosophila ovary, where germline stem cells (GSCs) are found.  My laboratory is devoted mainly to studying the biology of the GSCs from genetic, cellular and molecular perspectives.


We have used DNA microarrays to characterise a subset of the GSCs’ transcriptome.  We have identified a number of candidate genes that are presumably expressed in GSCs and we are currently embarked on the genetic and molecular study of several of them.  We have also discovered two signalling pathways required in the somatic component of the niche for GSC maintenance.  These include the Jak/Stat pathway.  We have also developed a protocol — using confocal microscopy and cell culture techniques — to image GSCs ‘in vivo’.  We aim at filming wildtype and experimental GSCs and their niches.
    In collaboration with Dr. Martín-Bermudo, we have recently shown that integrins are required in the follicle cells of the Drosophila egg chamber to orientate the mitotic spindle parallel to the germline.  Thus, the monolayer characteristic of the follicular epithelium is ensured.  We are extending these analyses trying to investigate how integrins control spindle orientation and additional roles that integrins may play during oogenesis.