The role of Numb/Numblike in lung epithelium

During embryonic development, asymmetric cell division of stem cells plays an important role in generating distinct sibling cell fates. One of the factors involved in asymmetric cell division processes and cell fate determination is the membrane-associated adaptor protein Numb which is known to segregate apically as a cortical crescent in one of the two cleaved daughter cells. The ability of regulating cell fate determination is promoted by inhibition of Notch-signaling thus leading to premature differentiation and depletion of stem- or progenitor cells [1, 2]. Furthermore, there is evidence that both Numb and N…