Antoine de Morree: Regulation of stem cell quiescence in the maintenance of tissue integrity

Title: Regulation of stem cell quiescence in the maintenance of tissue integrity

Speaker: PhD Antoine de Morree

The ability of tissues to repair themselves after an injury is due to the presence of populations of rare stem cells in those tissues. In skeletal muscle, muscle stem cells (MuSCs) exist in a quiescent state, a state of prolonged reversible cell cycle exit, in reserve to be called upon if an injury occurs. When muscle is injured, the MuSCs activate to enter the cell cycle, proliferate, and make new muscle. The quiescent state is actively maintained and essential for long-term maintenance of the stem cell pool. The mechanisms that enable MuSCs to maintain or break the quiescent state are poorly understood. A major challenge has been the lack of tools to analyze quiescent stem cells in vivo, in their native environment. We used cell-specific labeling of RNA to investigate the transcriptome of quiescent MuSCs in vivo. These new approaches revealed a discordance between RNA and protein levels, indicating the importance of post-transcriptional mechanisms for the regulation of the quiescent state. Understanding how these mechanisms guide stem cell function during homeostasis and regeneration has important implications for regenerative medicine.

Bio: Antoine de Morree is tenure-track Assistant Professor of Biomedicine at Aarhus University.  His lab aims to understand how stem cells regenerate tissue with the goal of improving tissue regeneration in aging and disease. Antoine de Morree received his PhD from Leiden University, The Netherlands in 2011, and completed his postdoctoral training at Stanford University in 2018. His work has led to major awards, including the 2015 Development Grant from the Muscular Dystrophy Association and a leadership award from Stanford University.

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