成体组织中存在着能够自我更新、有多种分化潜能的细胞称成体干细胞。成体干细胞对器官的发育、自稳态维持有至关重要的作用，还有可能是癌症发生的细胞靶点。成体干细胞领域的挑战是：1)许多器官成体干细胞的身份属性并不清楚;2)成体干细胞一旦离开了体内的微环境信号，在体外不能维持干细胞的特性(干性)，并且干细胞的数量难以在体外扩增，使得相关的分子机制研究难以进行。针对这些挑战和机遇，实验室的近期目标一是发现成体干细胞的身份属性，尤其是干细胞表面的特异标记分子，能够富集并分离得到活体的干细胞;目标二是发现成体干细胞的微环境因子，使得成体干细胞在体外能够长期培养和扩增，并保持干性。

　　实验室主要以小鼠乳腺为组织模型，运用原代干细胞培养、基因操纵等体外实验，结合干细胞移植、构建转基因及基因敲除小鼠、损伤修复、谱系示踪等体内实验手段，研究成体干细胞的属性及调控机制。实验室近期的研究方向包括：

　　1) 发现各器官中成体干细胞的身份属性，包括乳腺、卵巢、血管、胰腺等;

　　2) 通过对比各成体干细胞，阐明干细胞“干性”的分子组成;

　　3) 发现成体干细胞新的微环境因子，阐明其调控干细胞的分子机理;

　　4) 研究干细胞关键调控分子在再生医学、癌症治疗中的调控变化。

　　实验室的长远目标是阐明干细胞的分子调控机理，为癌症治疗和再生医学提供新的策略。

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