Author/Authors :
Daniela S. Krause، نويسنده , , David T. Scadden، نويسنده ,
Abstract :
Cells acquire their fate in vivo in the context of a complex microenvironmental “niche” comprised of heterologous cell types, signaling molecules, extracellular matrix, biophysical forces, and metabolic substrates. Now Calderón and Boehm report the “refunctionalization” of a defective thymic epithelial niche, offering insights into how signaling molecules may be hierarchically organized to direct differentiation outcomes.