The discovery of leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) as both a marker of adult stem cells and a critical modulator of their activity via its role as an effector of Wnt/R-spondin (Rspo) signaling has driven major advances in our understanding of stem cell biology during homeostasis, regeneration, and disease. Exciting new mouse and organoid culture models developed to study the endogenous behavior of Lgr5-expressing cells in health and disease settings have revealed the existence of facultative stem cell populations responsible for tissue regeneration, cancer stem cells (CSCs) driving metastasis in the gut, and Lgr5⁺ niche cells in the lung. Here we review these recent advances and discuss their impact on efforts to harness the therapeutic potential of adult stem cells and their cancer counterparts in the clinic.

通过作为Wnt / R-spondin（Rspo）信号传导的作用，发现富含亮氨酸重复序列的G蛋白偶联受体5（Lgr5）既是成体干细胞的标志物，又是其活性的关键调节剂。推动了我们对稳态，再生和疾病过程中干细胞生物学的理解的重大进步。为研究在健康和疾病环境中表达Lgr5的细胞的内源性行为而开发的令人兴奋的新型小鼠和类器官培养模型表明，存在负责组织再生的兼职干细胞群，驱动肠道转移的癌干细胞（CSC）以及Lgr5 ⁺肺中的利基细胞。在这里，我们回顾了这些最新进展，并讨论了它们对在临床中利用成年干细胞及其癌症对应物的治疗潜力的影响。