Afadin and RhoA control pancreatic endocrine mass via lumen morphogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Proper lumen morphogenesis during pancreas development is critical to endocrine and exocrine cell fate. Recent studies showed that a central network of lumens (termed core), but not the surrounding terminal branches (termed periphery), produces most islet endocrine cells. To date, it remains unclear how pancreatic lumens form and remodel and which aspects of lumen morphogenesis influence cell fate. Importantly, models testing the function of the central lumen network as an endocrine niche are lacking. Here, we identify mechanisms underlying lumen formation and remodeling and show that central lumen network morphogenesis impacts pancreatic endocrine mass. We show that loss of the scaffolding protein Afadin disrupts de novo lumenogenesis and lumen continuity in the tip epithelium. Codepletio

SUBMITTER: Azizoglu DB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5795784 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature