Sustained Neurog3 expression in hormone-expressing islet cells is required for endocrine maturation and function

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0904247106
• Publication Date: 2009-06-02T01:43:14Z
• Authors: Sui Wang; Jan N. Jensen; Philip A. Seymour; Wei Hsu; Yuval Dor; Maike Sander; Mark A. Magnuson; Palle Serup; Guoqiang Gu
• Keywords: Enteroendocrine cell

Neurog3 (Neurogenin 3 or Ngn3) is both necessary and sufficient to induce endocrine islet cell differentiation from embryonic pancreatic progenitors. Since robust expression has not been detected in hormone-expressing cells, used as an progenitor marker regarded dispensable for the function of differentiated cells. Here we independent lines knock-in reporter mice mRNA/protein-based assays examine mRNA protein are hormone-producing cells at adult stages. Significantly, inactivating insulin -expressing β stages Pdx1 adults impairs function, a phenotype that accompanied by reduced several target genes essential differentiation, maturation, function. These findings demonstrate required only initiating but also promoting maturation maintaining