BMP signalling is critical for maintaining homeostasis of hair follicles and intestine in adult mice

Abstract

BMP signalling play critical roles during embryonic development, however, its roles have not been extensively studied in the maintenance of adult tissue homeostasis. In this study we have used temporal knock out of Bmp2 and Bmp4 to uncover the role of BMP signalling in adult mice. We observed rapid changes in the adult hair follicles and the intestine within two days of depleting BMP signalling, which demonstrates the critical and acute requirement of BMP signalling in maintaining homeostasis in these tissues. In addition, our study demonstrates that while BMP signalling is required for maintenance of quiescence in telogen hair follicles, it is needed for survival and proliferation in late anagen hair follicles. Our study also reveals differential requirement of BMP signalling in differentiation of distinct intestinal cell types. In addition, Loss of BMP signalling rapidly promotes early neoplastic transformations in mouse intestine.