Exdpf is a key regulator of exocrine pancreas development controlled by retinoic acid and ptf1a in zebrafish.

ABSTRACT: Both endocrine and exocrine pancreatic cells arise from pancreatic-duodenal homeobox 1 (pdx1)-positive progenitors. The molecular mechanisms controlling cell fate determination and subsequent proliferation, however, are poorly understood. Unlike endocrine cells, less is known about exocrine cell specification. We report here the identification and characterization of a novel exocrine cell determinant gene, exocrine differentiation and proliferation factor (exdpf), which is highly expressed in the exocrine cell progenitors and differentiated cells of the developing pancreas in zebrafish. Knockdown of exdpf by antisense morpholino caused loss or significant reduction of exocrine cells due to lineage-specific cell cycle arrest but not apoptosis, whereas the endocrine cell mass appeared normal

SUBMITTER: Jiang Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2586380 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature