Abstract
Scap and the intestinal epithelial stem cell niche: new insights from lipid biology
Highlights
SCAP is required for proteolytic cleavage and activation of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs)
McFarlane et al use both organoids and the Cre-Lox system to elegantly define a critical role for Scap in mouse small intestinal epithelial cell viability
Tamoxifen-induced, intestine-specific deletion of Scap (Scap-IKO) induced a rapid decrease in small intestinal and colonic Scap mRNA (90% at 2.5 days) with a corresponding reduction in nuclear SREBP levels
Summary
SCAP is required for proteolytic cleavage and activation of sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs). A lack of adequate scientific tools hindered study of normal intestinal epithelial cell physiology. More powerful tools have enabled directed investigation of gut epithelial cell function in vivo and in vitro. Identification of the requisite factors for sustained ex vivo culture of primary intestinal epithelial cells (organoids) has transformed in vitro study of the intestinal epithelium (4).
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