Under fed conditions, mitotic cell divisions occur throughout the progenitor zone (Crittenden et al., 2006; Maciejowski et al., 2006); GLP-1/Notch is required for stem cell maintenance (Austin and Kimble, 1987); and transient progenitors enter the meiotic cell cycle if their movement out of the progenitor zone is restricted (Cinquin et al., 2010). Under starved conditions, germ cells become quiescent; GLP-1/Notch is dispensable for stem cell maintenance; and the meiotic entry of transient progenitors is slowed or blocked.
DOI:
http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.10832.025