EGFR Signaling Stimulates Autophagy to Regulate Stem Cell Maintenance and Lipid Homeostasis in the Drosophila Testis (Cell Reports)

Sênos Demarco et al. demonstrate that Drosophila somatic cyst stem cells (CySCs) rely on basal levels of autophagy, which is regulated by EGFR signaling, for maintenance under homeostatic conditions. Blocking autophagy results in the accumulation of lipid droplets; therefore, one role of autophagy is to regulate lipid homeostasis in the soma.