Activin betaC and betaE genes are not essential for mouse liver growth, differentiation, and regeneration.

ABSTRACT: The liver is an essential organ that produces several serum proteins, stores vital nutrients, and detoxifies many carcinogenic and xenobiotic compounds. Various growth factors positively regulate liver growth, but only a few negative regulators are known. Among the latter are the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily members TGF-beta1 and activin A. To study the function of novel activin family members, we have cloned and generated mice deficient in the activin betaC and betaE genes. Expression analyses demonstrated that these novel genes are liver specific in adult mice. Here, we show by RNase protection that activin betaC transcripts are present in the liver beginning at embryonic day 11.5 (E11.5) whereas activin betaE expression is detected starting from E17.5. Gene tar

SUBMITTER: Lau AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC86088 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature