干细胞微环境是由容纳一个或多个干细胞,并控制干细胞自我更新和子代细胞产生的组织细胞以及细胞外基质组成。干细胞必须在微环境内才能增殖,才能保持自我更新的特性。通过对果蝇生殖腺干细胞微环境的结构及其产生的信号路径(该路径可以调节干细胞自我更新)的研究,发现微环境中支持细胞和它们发出的信号路径在调节干细胞的增殖和分化中起重要的作用。
Stem cells microenvironment is considered to substrates that can indefinitely house one or more stem cells and be composed of tissue cells and extracellular control their self-renewal and prevents their differentiation. Stem cells can only multiply and maintain self-renewal in a specific niche. Studies using the model biology Drosophila germline stem cells niche system have revealed that support cells and their signaling pathways in the microenvironment play a vital role in controlling the fate of the stem cells.