Damage recognition by intestinal stem cells via Draper promotes adult Drosophila midgut regeneration.

Draper-Src-Shark signalling in Drosophila intestinal stem cells detects tissue damage and drives proliferation, essential for midgut regeneration.

• Why it matters: Understanding how stem cells sense damage and coordinate regeneration is vital for developing therapies for tissue repair and inflammatory diseases, yet this mechanism was unclear.
• What they did: The study used genetic and molecular approaches to show that Draper detects externalised phosphatidylserine on dying cells, activating STAT in ISCs and promoting proliferation, while also influencing the regenerative microenvironment.
• The result: Findings reveal that Draper signalling facilitates regeneration beyond phagocytosis, and its conservation in mammals suggests potential targets for treating tissue damage, inflammation, and cancer.