title: MafA and MafB activity in pancreatic β cells.
abstract: Analyses in mouse models have revealed crucial roles for MafA (musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene family A) and MafB in islet β cells, with MafB being required during development and MafA in adults. These two closely related transcription factors regulate many genes essential for glucose sensing and insulin secretion in a cooperative and sequential manner. Significantly, the switch from MafB to MafA expression also appears to be vital for functional maturation of β cells produced by human embryonic stem (hES) cell differentiation. This review summarizes the discovery, distribution, and function of MafA and MafB in rodent pancreatic β cells, and describes some key questions regarding their importance to β cells.
authors: Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Hang
authors: Roland
authors: R
authors: Stein
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D051473:Maf Transcription Factors, Large / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D023421:Models, Animal
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D051473:Maf Transcription Factors, Large; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor; C485160:Mafa protein, mouse; C490406:Mafb protein, mouse; D005947:Glucose