CIL:50676, Drosophila melanogaster. In Cell Image Library

We show in this study that brain and intestinal stem cells of Drosophila contain a new type of cytoplasmic protrusion which is enriched in mitochondria and that the mitochondria are probably dependent on microtubules for their distribution. The protrusions form mitochondria-enriched cytoplasmic bridges from the stem cells to their niche that we speculate are important in regulating stem cell quiescence and activation.