Our group is interested in the mechanisms by which the dormant or quiescent state of adult mammalian stem cells promotes the acquisition of regenerative function. Most cells in adult tissue have ceased cell division, but can exist in distinct arrested states. Differentiated cells permanently withdraw from the cell cycle, but stem cells idle in a dormant state known as quiescence or G0. These temporarily arrested progenitors maintain adult tissues undergoing normal turnover, as well as regenerate damaged tissue following injury. De-regulation of quiescence underlies pathologies at opposite ends of a spectrum- cancer may represent a failure to enter quiescence, while degenerative disease may represent a failure to exit quiescence. Therefore, understanding the acquisition and maintenance of quiescence has broad implications for human diseases.
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