A new Yilmaz lab study published in Nature suggests a diet rich in the amino acid cysteine may promote regeneration of the intestinal lining, turning on an immune signaling pathway that helps stem cells regrow intestinal tissue. The research offers insights into normal tissue biology and new ways to help heal tissue damage from radiation or chemotherapy treatment.
This work was supported in part by the Koch Institute Frontier Research Program via the Kathy and Curt Marble Cancer Research Fund, the Bridge Project, and the MIT Stem Cell Initiative.