title: Control of cell identity in pancreas development and regeneration.
abstract: The endocrine and exocrine cells in the adult pancreas are not static, but can change their differentiation state in response to injury or stress. This concept of cells in flux means that there may be ways to generate certain types of cells (such as insulin-producing β-cells) and prevent formation of others (such as transformed neoplastic cells). We review different aspects of cell identity in the pancreas, discussing how cells achieve their identity during embryonic development and maturation, and how this identity remains plastic, even in the adult pancreas.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. bstanger@exchange.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Ben Z
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Stanger
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hebrok
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D053595:Embryonic Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D010179:Pancreas / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012038:Regeneration; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology