TY - JOUR
T1 - The Pax4 gene is essential for differentiation of insulin-producing β cells in the mammalian pancreas
AU - Sosa-Pineda, Beatriz
AU - Chowdhury, Kamal
AU - Torres, Miguel
AU - Oliver, Guillermo
AU - Gruss, Peter
PY - 1997/3/27
Y1 - 1997/3/27
N2 - The mammalian pancreas contains two distinct cell populations: endocrine cells which secrete hormones into the bloodstream, and exocrine cells, which secrete enzymes into the digestive tract. The four endocrine cell types found in the adult pancreas-α, β, δ and PP-synthesize glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, respectively. All of these endocrine cells arise from common multipotent precursors, which coexpress several hormones when they start to differentiate. Expression of some homeobox genes in the early developing pancreas has been reported . The Pax4 gene is expressed in the early pancreas, but is later restricted to β cells. Inactivation of Pax4 by homologous recombination results in the absence of mature insulin-and somatostatin-producing cells (β and δ, respectively) in the pancreas of Pax4 homozygous mutant mice, but glucagon-producing a cells are present in considerably higher numbers. We propose that the early expression of Pax4 in a subset of endocrine progenitors is essential for the differentiation of the β and δ cell lineages. A default pathway would explain the elevated number of α cells in the absence of Pax4.
AB - The mammalian pancreas contains two distinct cell populations: endocrine cells which secrete hormones into the bloodstream, and exocrine cells, which secrete enzymes into the digestive tract. The four endocrine cell types found in the adult pancreas-α, β, δ and PP-synthesize glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide, respectively. All of these endocrine cells arise from common multipotent precursors, which coexpress several hormones when they start to differentiate. Expression of some homeobox genes in the early developing pancreas has been reported . The Pax4 gene is expressed in the early pancreas, but is later restricted to β cells. Inactivation of Pax4 by homologous recombination results in the absence of mature insulin-and somatostatin-producing cells (β and δ, respectively) in the pancreas of Pax4 homozygous mutant mice, but glucagon-producing a cells are present in considerably higher numbers. We propose that the early expression of Pax4 in a subset of endocrine progenitors is essential for the differentiation of the β and δ cell lineages. A default pathway would explain the elevated number of α cells in the absence of Pax4.
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U2 - 10.1038/386399a0
DO - 10.1038/386399a0
M3 - Article
C2 - 9121556
AN - SCOPUS:0030897629
VL - 386
SP - 399
EP - 402
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
SN - 0028-0836
IS - 6623
ER -