title: The Sox transcriptional factors: Functions during intestinal development in vertebrates.
abstract: The intestine has long been studied as a model for adult stem cells due to the life-long self-renewal of the intestinal epithelium through the proliferation of the adult intestinal stem cells. Recent evidence suggests that the formation of adult intestinal stem cells in mammals takes place during the thyroid hormone-dependent neonatal period, also known as postembryonic development, which resembles intestinal remodeling during frog metamorphosis. Studies on the metamorphosis in Xenopus laevis have revealed that many members of the Sox family, a large family of DNA binding transcription factors, are upregulated in the intestinal epithelium during the formation and/or proliferation of the intestinal stem cells. Similarly, a number of Sox genes have been implicated in intestinal development and pathogenesis in mammals. Futures studies are needed to determine the expression and potential involvement of this important gene family in the development of the adult intestinal stem cells. These include the analyses of the expression and regulation of these and other Sox genes during postembryonic development in mammals as well as functional investigations in both mammals and amphibians by using the recently developed gene knockout technologies.
authors: Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 18 Library Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, United States.
authors: Liezhen
authors: L
authors: Fu
authors: Section on Molecular Morphogenesis, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institutes of Health (NIH), 18 Library Dr., Bethesda, MD, 20892, United States. Electronic address: Shi@helix.nih.gov.
authors: Yun-Bo
authors: YB
authors: Shi
mesh_terms: D053687:Adult Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007422:Intestines / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D055747:SOX Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000494:pharmacology; D014714:Vertebrates / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D055747:SOX Transcription Factors; D013963:Thyroid Hormones
keywords: Intestine; Metamorphosis; Postembryonic development; Sox genes; Stem cells; Thyroid hormone; Thyroid hormone receptor; Xenopus