The intestine acts as one of the interfaces between an organism and its external
environment. As the primary digestive organ, it is constantly exposed to a multitude of
stresses as it processes and absorbs nutrients. Among these is the recurring damage
induced by ingested pathogenic and commensal microorganisms. Both the bacterial activity
and immune response itself can result in the loss of epithelial cells, which subsequently
requires replacement. In the Drosophila midgut, this regenerative role is fulfilled by intestinal …