title: Role of growth factors in pancreatic endocrine cells. Growth and differentiation.
abstract: Although previously thought to arise from neural ectoderm, the endocrine cells of the gastrointestinal system are now believed to derive from endoderm. The role of different growth factors in initiation of endocrine cell growth, commitment of the cells to a particular growth pathway, and the initiation and maintenance of tumor growth and remission remains unclear. This article briefly reviews factors controlling cell growth and differentiation of gastrointestinal endocrine cells and presents data on new candidate growth factors pertinent to the authors' model of induction of endocrine cell differentiation in the pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Research Institute, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk.
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Vinik
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pittenger
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pavlic-Renar
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D004064:Digestive System / Q000166:cytology; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000166:cytology*; D009857:Oncogenes
chemical_list: D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; D006133:Growth Substances