Foxa1 and Foxa2 control the differentiation of goblet and enteroendocrine L- and D-cells in mice.

ABSTRACT:

Background & aims

The winged helix transcription factors Foxa1 and Foxa2 are expressed in all epithelia of the gastrointestinal tract from its embryonic origin into adulthood. In vitro studies have shown that Foxa1/a2 can transactivate the promoters of Mucin 2 (Muc2), which is expressed in goblet cells, and of preproglucagon, which is expressed in enteroendocrine cells. These findings suggest Foxa1/a2 as critical factors in the differentiation of gut epithelial cells.

Methods

Mice with intestine-specific simultaneous deletion of Foxa1 and Foxa2 were derived using the Cre-loxP system and analyzed using histologic and molecular means.

Results

Both Foxa1 and Foxa2 were deleted successfully in the epithelia of the small intestine and colon using Villin-Cre mice. Immunohis

SUBMITTER: Ye DZ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2789913 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature