Inhibiting cytoneme formation prevents niche contact and BMP signal reactivation thus blocking germ cell dedifferentiation

A new in vitro model also illustrates how a source of BMP can promote cytoneme contact for signal activation

Now we have found that during germ cell dedifferentiation to reoccupy an empty niche, cytoneme formation becomes polarised toward the niche enabling access to stemness-promoting BMP signalling

Previously we showed that ovarian germ cells extend cytonemes and germline stem cells use these to probe their niche and access sequestered BMP