Distinct mesenchymal cell populations generate the essential intestinal BMP signaling gradient

The intestinal epithelium requires trophic factors and signaling gradients to maintain proper positioning of Intestinal Stem Cells (ISC) and proper differentiation of ISCs. Because the underlying mesenchyme is composed of numerous cell types, we utilized both transgenic and antibody methods to isolate specific mesenchymal populations including GFP-hi and GFP-lo cells from the murine transgenic PDGFRAH2BEGFP mouse (Jackson, #007669), endothelial and lymphatic endothelial cells via antibody for CD31+LYVE1- and CD31+LYVE1+, respectively. We found distinct molecular signatures of these cell types and focused our analyses on known trophic factors of the overlaying intestinal epithelium. Examination of mRNA profiles of distinct mesenchymal cell types.