Oxidative stress promotes exit from the stem cell state and spontaneous neuronal differentiation.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play important roles in fundamental cellular processes such as proliferation and survival. Here we investigated the effect of oxidative stress on stem cell maintenance and neuronal differentiation in a human embryonic stem cell (hESC) model, Ntera2 (NT2). CM-H2DCFDA and DHE assays confirmed that the oxidizing agent paraquat could induce a high level of ROS in NT2 cells.

Small Maf functions in the maintenance of germline stem cells in the Drosophila testis.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are byproducts generated during normal cellular metabolism, and redox states have been shown to influence stem cell self-renewal and lineage commitment across phyla. However, the downstream effectors of ROS signaling that control stem cell behavior remain largely unexplored. Here, we used the Drosophila testis as an in vivo model to identify ROS-induced effectors that are involved in the differentiation process of germline stem cells (GSCs).

Redox Homeostasis Plays Important Roles in the Maintenance of the Drosophila Testis Germline Stem Cells.

Oxidative stress influences stem cell behavior by promoting the differentiation, proliferation, or apoptosis of stem cells. Thus, characterizing the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on stem cell behavior provides insights into the significance of redox homeostasis in stem cell-associated diseases and efficient stem cell expansion for cellular therapies. We utilized the Drosophila testis as an in vivo model to examine the effects of ROS on germline stem cell (GSC) maintenance.