Loss of the distal-proximal GLP-1/Notch activation gradient in the aging C. elegans germline
Abstract
In C. elegans hermaphrodites, the distal tip cells (DTCs) capping the distal gonad arms provide the niche signal, a Notch ligand, to maintain germline stem cell pools. Using fixed germlines, it was recently shown that the transcription of a Notch target gene decreased relatively early-on during adulthood. Here, we used the genetically encoded Notch Sensor Able to detect Lateral Signaling Activity (SALSA) to examine the pattern of GLP-1/Notch activity across the aging distal gonad in vivo. Interestingly, we find that the robust and progressively decreasing distal-proximal Notch activation gradient that is observed in young adults gets entirely lost during aging.
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Research summary
The paper claims that the distal-proximal Notch activation gradient in the aging C. elegans germline is lost during aging. This research is relevant as it investigates the mechanisms of aging at the cellular level, specifically how Notch signaling, which is crucial for stem cell maintenance, is affected by age.
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