Gut microbes’ metabolite dampens proliferation of intestinal stem cells

Intestinal stem cells are located in ‘pockets’ in the intestine to avoid contact with a prominent metabolite produced by beneficial microbes living in the gut, new research indicates. That metabolite — butyrate — restricts the proliferation of stem cells, potentially hampering the intestine from repairing itself after an injury or damage resulting from inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s and colitis, say scientists.