---
res:
  bibo_abstract:
  - Epithelial tissues function as multicellular communities that preserve tissue
    integrity while adapting to diverse environmental stresses by altering cell behaviors.
    A striking manifestation of such adaptability is cell plasticity, the ability
    of differentiated cells to revert to stem-like states or adopt alternative fates.
    Once considered rare and confined to highly regenerative species, cell plasticity
    is now recognized across the metazoan tree. In early-branching animals such as
    sponges and cnidarians, transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation are integral
    to life-cycle transitions and regeneration, whereas in more complex organisms,
    these processes typically emerge under stress, including stem cell loss or environmental
    perturbations. Here, we examine epithelial cell plasticity through evolutionary,
    cellular, and molecular perspectives. Focusing on the intestinal epithelium, we
    explore findings from mammalian and Drosophila models showing that progenitors
    and even terminally differentiated cells can dedifferentiate in response to external
    stimuli that disrupt homeostasis, such as pathogen infection and nutrient fluctuations.
    We further discuss conserved mechanisms involving intercellular signaling (e.g.,
    Notch, EGFR, and JAK-STAT) and chromatin states primed for reprogramming, modulated
    by metabolic cues. Together, these insights position cell plasticity as an ancient
    environmental adaptation strategy, shaped by conserved molecular toolkits and
    refined by species- and cell lineage-specific innovations.@eng
  bibo_authorlist:
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Hiroki
      foaf_name: Nagai, Hiroki
      foaf_surname: Nagai
      foaf_workInfoHomepage: http://www.librecat.org/personId=608df3e6-e2ab-11ed-8890-c9318cec7da4
    orcid: 0000-0003-1671-9434
  - foaf_Person:
      foaf_givenName: Yu Ichiro
      foaf_name: Nakajima, Yu Ichiro
      foaf_surname: Nakajima
  bibo_doi: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2026.103670
  bibo_volume: 179-180
  dct_date: 2026^xs_gYear
  dct_isPartOf:
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/1084-9521
  - http://id.crossref.org/issn/1096-3634
  dct_language: eng
  dct_publisher: Elsevier@
  dct_title: 'Epithelial cell plasticity in metazoans: Evolutionary insights into
    roles and mechanisms@'
...