Search results for "PAX4"
showing 3 items of 3 documents
In silico characterization of an Iroquois family-related homeodomain protein.
2005
Homeobox genes have been demonstrated to play important roles during cancer differentiation and embryonic development. The subset of Iroquois-related homeobox genes (IRXs) have furthermore been. demonstrated to be involved in several embryonic developmental processes such as patterning of the anterior-posterior and dorso-ventral axis, as well as specific regions of the central nervous system, and differentiation of the otic vesicle, branchial epithelium, and limbs. We have characterized a novel homeodomain protein and corresponding gene by means of computational biology. Since the protein sequence displayed high similarity to the human IRX proteins, the newly identified homeodomain protein …
Multipotential nestin and Isl-1 positive mesenchymal stem cells isolated from human pancreatic islets.
2006
Mesenchymal cells in the developing pancreas express the neural stem cell marker nestin and the transcription factor islet-1 (Isl-1). Using defined culture conditions we isolated on a single cell basis nestin producing cells from human pancreatic islets. These cells were immortalized with lentiviral vectors coding for telomerase and mBmi. They are positive for Isl-1 and nestin and have the potential to adopt a pancreatic endocrine phenotype with expression of critical transcription factors including Ipf-1, Isl-1, Ngn-3, Pax4, Pax6, Nkx2.2, and Nkx6.1 as well as the islet hormones insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin. In addition, they can be differentiated into human albumin producing cells …
In vitro reprogramming of pancreatic alpha cells towards a beta cell phenotype following ectopic HNF4α expression
2015
There is currently a shortage of organ donors available for pancreatic beta cell transplantation into diabetic patients. An alternative source of beta cells is pre-existing pancreatic cells. While we know that beta cells can arise directly from alpha cells during pancreatic regeneration we do not understand the molecular basis for the switch in phenotype. The aim of the present study was to investigate if hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α), a transcription factor essential for a normal beta cell phenotype, could induce the reprogramming of alpha cells towards potential beta cells. We utilised an in vitro model of pancreatic alpha cells, the murine αTC1-9 cell line. We initially chara…