aPKC exclusion from the apical cortex in enteroblasts maintains stem cell homeostasis in Drosophila.

Exclusion of aPKC from the apical cortex in enteroblasts prevents overproliferation of intestinal stem cells in Drosophila midgut, maintaining tissue homeostasis.

• Why it matters: Understanding how stem cell behavior is precisely regulated is essential for insights into tissue maintenance and preventing disorders like cancer. The mechanisms controlling aPKC activity during differentiation are not fully known, limiting potential therapeutic targets.
• What they did: The study examined aPKC dynamics during enteroblast differentiation and found that its apical cortex presence correlates with junctional protein accumulation. Manipulating Kibra, an aPKC-binding Hippo pathway activator, revealed its role in ISC proliferation linked to junctional protein status.
• The result: Findings demonstrate that excluding aPKC from the apical cortex in differentiating cells prevents ISC overgrowth, highlighting a novel regulatory interaction between junctional proteins and aPKC that sustains intestinal tissue homeostasis.