Suppression of Ptf1a activity induces acinar-to-endocrine conversion.

ABSTRACT: Pluripotent embryonic cells become progressively lineage restricted during development in a process that culminates in the differentiation of stable organ-specific cell types that perform specialized functions. Terminally differentiated pancreatic acinar cells do not have the innate capacity to contribute to the endocrine β cell lineage, which is destroyed in individuals with autoimmune diabetes. Some cell types can be reprogrammed using a single factor, whereas other cell types require continuous activity of transcriptional regulators to repress alternate cell fates. Thus, we hypothesized that a transcriptional network continuously maintains the pancreatic acinar cell fate. We found that postembryonic antagonism of Ptf1a, a master regulator of pancreatic development and acinar cell fate s

SUBMITTER: Hesselson D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3081919 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature