Rat endocrine pancreatic development in relation to two homeobox gene products (Pdx-1 and Nkx 6.1).
We studied the distribution of the homeodomain proteins Pdx-1 and Nkx 6.1 in the developing rat pancreas. During early development, nuclear staining for both Pdx-1 and Nkx 6.1 occurred in most epithelial cells of the pancreatic anlage. Subsequently, Nkx 6.1 became more beta-cell-restricted, and Pdx-1 also occurred in other islet cell types and in the duodenal epithelium. During early pancreatic development, cells co-storing insulin and glucagon were regularly detected. The vast majority of these did not possess nuclear staining for either Pdx-1 or Nkx 6.1. Subsequently, cells storing insulin only appeared. Such cells displayed strongly Pdx-1- and Nkx 6.1-positive nuclei. Therefore, Nkx 6.1, like Pdx-1, may be an important factor in pancreatic development and in mature insulin cell function.
Oster
A
A
Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Statens Seruminstitut, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jensen
J
J
Serup
P
P
Galante
P
P
Madsen
O D
OD
Larsson
L I
LI
D000818:Animals; D004386:Duodenum / Q000378:metabolism; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000502:physiology; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D010179:Pancreas / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007328:Insulin; C491327:Nkx6-1 protein, rat; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; C084010:pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 protein; D013004:Somatostatin; D010191:Pancreatic Polypeptide; D005934:Glucagon