Six1 transcription factor is critical for coordination of epithelial, mesenchymal and vascular morphogenesis in the mammalian lung.

ABSTRACT: Six1 is a member of the six-homeodomain family of transcription factors. Six1 is expressed in multiple embryonic cell types and plays important roles in proliferation, differentiation and survival of precursor cells of different organs, yet its function during lung development was hitherto unknown. Herein we show that Six1(-/-) lungs are severely hypoplastic with greatly reduced epithelial branching and increased mesenchymal cellularity. Six1 is expressed at the distal epithelial tips of branching tubules as well as in the surrounding distal mesenchyme. Six1(-/-) lung epithelial cells show increased expression of differentiation markers, but loss of progenitor cell markers. Six1 overexpression in MLE15 lung epithelial cells in vitro inhibited cell differentiation, but increases the express

SUBMITTER: El-Hashash AH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3114882 | biostudies-literature | 2011 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature