Stem cell development involves divergent thyroid hormone receptor subtype expression and epigenetic modifications in the Xenopus metamorphosing intestine.

•GFP driven by Ror2 promoter labels precursors of stem cells (SC) in the Tg intestine.•SC precursors (pre-SCs) specifically express TRα but not TRβ.•High TR subtype expression in the SC lineage correlates with active histone marks.•Dedifferentiation of pre-SCs into SCs is epigenetically regulated probably via TRα.•Subsequent SC development is epigenetically regulated probably via both TRα and TRβ.