FGFR1-IIIb is a putative marker of pancreatic progenitor cells.
The pancreas develops from buds that derive from the endodermal epithelium of the digestive tract. The progenitor cells that will give rise to the mature pancreatic cells reside within this epithelium. However, their exact identity remains unknown. In the present study, we searched for genes expressed by pancreatic progenitor cells. We focused our search on receptor tyrosine kinases. We found that fibroblast growth factor-IIIb (FGFR1-IIIb) expression is high in pancreatic epithelium enriched in progenitor cells. We next investigated FGFR1-IIIb expression throughout pancreatic development. At early stages of pancreas development, FGFR1-IIIb is expressed by pancreatic epithelial cells that resemble undifferentiated cells, while at later stages of development, FGFR1-IIIb expression decreases, concomitant with the expected decrease in the number of progenitor cells.
INSERM U457, Hospital R. Debré, 48, Boulevard Sérurier, 75019 Paris, France.
Corentin
C
Cras-Méneur
Raphael
R
Scharfmann
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005819:Genetic Markers; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D010179:Pancreas / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; C496350:Fgfr1 protein, rat; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D051496:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 1