Fig. 2: The transdifferentiated cells exhibit functional EE characteristics. | Nature Communications

Fig. 2: The transdifferentiated cells exhibit functional EE characteristics.

From: Cell-fate conversion of intestinal cells in adult Drosophila midgut by depleting a single transcription factor

Fig. 2

a–f In normal guts, peptide hormones Tk and AstC are exclusively expressed in diploid EEs (a, d). However, upon Ttk knockdown in ECs, Tk and AstC expression are observed in polyploid cells (b, c, and e, f, indicated by yellow arrowheads). g, h Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of normal and ttk-depleted guts. Abundant lipid droplets are present in normal ECs (g, red arrow), while they are diminished in Ttk-depleted ECs, with small secretory granules appearing instead (h, yellow arrow). i Transcriptome profiles of normal ECs, EEs, and Ttk-depletion-induced EE-like cells. The transdifferentiated EE-like cells, induced by Ttk depletion in ECs, exhibit a general shift in their transcriptome towards an EE-like state. j Gene ontology analysis of upregulated (left panel) and downregulated genes (right panel) upon Ttk depletion in ECs. Statistical test of p value: modified Fisher’s exact test (EASE score). Scale bars, 20 μm.

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