Stem cell regulation by JAK/STAT signaling in Drosophila

Stem cells have become one of the “buzz” topics in the last decade or so. One of the best systems to study adult stem cells in vivo is in the model organism, Drosophila melanogaster. One hundred years of genetic analysis, a sequenced and highly annotated genome and genomics makes this a difficult organism to avoid. The JAK/STAT pathway has been shown to regulate stem cells during haematopoiesis and gametogenesis in Drosophila. In this review we cover the current literature and contrast each group of stem cells with respect to JAK/STAT signaling.