The small intestinal epithelium is the fastest self-renewing tissue in mammals and has served as the principle model for the study of adult stem cell biology [1]. The small intestine is structurally organized into stem cell compartments, the crypts of Lieberkühn, and functional epithelial compartments, luminal protrusions called villi that extend out from the crypts and contain specialized differentiated epithelial cell types (Figure 1A). Intestinal stem cells (ISCs), which are called crypt base columnar cells (CBCs) and express Lgr5, reside at the base of the crypts intermingled with post-mitotic Paneth cells. The close interaction of CBCs with Paneth cells is essential for maintaining the stem cell function of CBCs. In addition to secreting antibacterial peptides, Paneth cells support stem cell function through the secretion of growth signaling molecules that are required for CBC proliferation and maintenance [2].The dependence of CBCs on Paneth cell-mediated paracrine signaling can be recapitulated in vitro. Single Lgr5 + CBCs can be expanded in vitro in a 3-D, matrigel-based culture that