New insightes in early specification of pancreas progenitors

© par Humajasmine

RNA profiling and ChIP-Sequencing reveal that PTF1a stabilizes pancreas progenitor identity via the control of MNX1/HLXB9 and a network of other transcription factors.

Pancreas development is initiated by the specification and expansion of a small group of endodermal cells. Several transcription factors are crucial for progenitor maintenance and expansion but their interactions and the downstream targets mediating their activity are poorly understood. Among those factors, PTF1a, a bHLH transcription factor which controls pancreas exocrine cell differentiation, maintenance and functionality, is also needed for early specification of pancreas progenitors. The group of Anne Grapin-Botton (UPGRA - Grapin-Botton Group ) used RNA profiling and ChIP-sequencing to identify a set of targets in pancreas progenitors. They identify Bmp7, Nr5a2, RhoV and P2rx1 as new targets of PTF1a in pancreas progenitors.

Nancy Thompson et al., Molecular and Cellular Biology, doi: 10.1128/MCB.06318-11 (2012)