Signaling Pathways in Drosophila gonadal Stem Cells

The stem cells' ability to divide asymmetrically to produce differentiating and self-renewing daughter cells is crucial to maintain tissue homeostasis and development. Stem cell maintenance and differentiation rely on their regulatory microenvironment termed ‘niches’. The mechanisms of the signal transduction pathways initiated from the niche, regulation of stem cell maintenance and differentiation were quite challenging to study. The knowledge gained from the study of Drosophila melanogaster testis and ovary helped develop our understanding of stem cell/niche interactions and signal pathways related to the regulatory mechanisms in maintaining homeostasis of adult tissue. In this review, we discuss the role of signaling pathways in Drosophila gonadal stem cell regeneration, competition, differentiation, dedifferentiation, proliferation, and fate determination. Furthermore, we present the current knowledge on how these signaling pathways are implicated in cancer, and how they contribute as potential candidates for effective cancer treatment.