Developmental Genetics Program, Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine, Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for Stem Cell Biology, Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
Vitam Horm. 2011;87:61-77. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-386015-6.00024-X.
Germline proliferation in Caenorhabditis elegans is emerging as a compelling model system for understanding the molecular basis for the developmental and physiological control of cell proliferation. This review covers the discovery and implications of the role of the insulin/IGF-like signaling pathway in germline proliferation during germline development. This pathway plays a host of important roles in C. elegans biology. Its role in germline proliferation is important to generate the proper adult stem/progenitor population and to ensure optimal fecundity. Moreover, in this role, it is restricted to reproductive (as opposed to dauer) larval stages and impinges on the G2 of the cell cycle. Two putative insulin ligands are especially important for the germline role but do not mediate signaling in other tissues. A picture is emerging of a complex web of developmentally and temporally restricted, ligand- and tissue-specific responses to insulin signaling. Avenues for future studies include the regulation of specific insulin-like ligands and the mechanisms for tissue-specific responses to them.
线虫生殖细胞的增殖正在成为一个引人注目的模型系统，可用于理解细胞增殖的发育和生理控制的分子基础。这篇综述涵盖了胰岛素/ IGF 样信号通路在生殖系发育过程中对生殖细胞增殖的作用的发现及其意义。该通路在秀丽隐杆线虫生物学中发挥了许多重要作用。它在生殖细胞增殖中的作用对于产生适当的成年干细胞/祖细胞群体和确保最佳繁殖力非常重要。此外，在这个作用中，它仅限于生殖（而非 dauer）幼虫阶段，并影响细胞周期的 G2 期。两种假定的胰岛素配体对线虫生殖细胞的作用特别重要，但在其他组织中不介导信号转导。一个复杂的发育和时间限制、配体和组织特异性对胰岛素信号反应的网络正在浮现。未来研究的途径包括特定胰岛素样配体的调节以及组织特异性对它们的反应机制。
