The study of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and their purification for transplantation requires a panel of surface markers that can be used to distinguish HSCs from other cell types. The number of markers necessary to identify HSCs continues to grow, making it increasingly difficult to identify HSCs by flow cytometry. In this study, the authors identified a combination of two surface markers, CD11a and endothelial protein C receptor, to enrich for HSCs in the mouse bone marrow without the need for additional markers. This simplified panel could aid HSC research by reducing the number of markers necessary to identify and isolate HSCs.

Androgen and Wnt signaling pathways are essential for prostate development and tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these pathways in regulating prostate development, maturation, and regeneration remains largely unexplored. This study developed a series of novel and biologically relevant mouse models to assess the biological role of Ar in Wnt responsive cells at different stages during mouse prostate development. Using these mouse models, we demonstrated for the first time that the Ar plays an indispensable role in Axin2-expressing cells during prostate development and regeneration. Deletion of Ar in Axin2-expressing cells at embryonic or pre-pubescent stage impairs prostate early development and results in underdeveloped prostate, respectively. When Ar was deleted in castration-resistant Axin2-expressing cells, the regenerative ability of Axin2-expressing cells was decreased significantly.