Carmn sustains basal stemness in exocrine glands and CTND1-mediated Wnt signaling in mammary tissue.

Carmn is a conserved regulator of epithelial basal-cell stemness and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in exocrine glands, essential for tumor formation in mammary tissue.

• Why it matters: Understanding the shared mechanisms of stem cell regulation across exocrine glands can reveal targets for regenerative medicine and cancer therapy.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing data from mammary, salivary, and lacrimal glands, identifying Carmn enrichment in basal stem cell lineages and studying its functional role through molecular and tumor models.
• The result: Carmn influences progenitor activity, basal cell plasticity, and Wnt/β-catenin-driven stem cell programs, and is necessary for Wnt1-driven tumor formation, highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target.