Role of the Hedgehog Signaling Pathway in Regulating the Behavior of Germline Stem Cells

Figure 1

Effect of the Hh signaling pathway on the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of SSCs in mammals. (Arrowhead in red in this figure) Hh secreted by SCs can promote the expression of various factors in SCs, which helps to maintain SSC proliferation. (Arrowhead in blue in this figure) Dhh produced by SC is crucial for LCs for maintaining the number of LCs and expression of testosterone, which is favorable for the differentiation of SSCs. LCs also produce some undefined inhibitory factors that inhibit SSC differentiation. (Arrowhead in black in this figure) as SSCs differentiate, the expression of SuFu (a negative regulator of the Hh pathway) constantly increases. It inhibits the activity of the Hh pathway, which is beneficial for the differentiation of SSCs (arrowhead in black in this figure).