Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus have identified a crucial biochemical process called H3K36 methylation that acts as a “switch” for intestinal cell regeneration after injury.
This process controls whether normal intestinal cells can revert to a regenerative stem cell state.
The discovery, published in Nature Cell Biology, reveals that H3K36 methylation must be removed for cells to dedifferentiate and regenerate.
Understanding this mechanism could lead to new therapies for colorectal cancer and other intestinal conditions by manipulating this switch.
Furthermore, this research may have implications for overcoming chemotherapy and radiation resistance in cancer treatment.
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