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Cre‐ loxp fate‐mapping of Pax6 enhancer active retinal and pancreatic progenitors
Author(s) -
Zhang Xin,
Heaney Shaun,
Maas Richard L.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/gene.10160
Subject(s) - progenitor cell , biology , pax6 , enhancer , cell fate determination , enhancer trap , progenitor , microbiology and biotechnology , pancreas , cellular differentiation , fate mapping , endoderm , enteroendocrine cell , stem cell , genetics , gene expression , gene , endocrine system , transcription factor , endocrinology , hormone
Summary: Pax6 plays important roles in the control of ocular and pancreatic development. We identified a 450 bp Pax6 enhancer that contains two interacting sequences: a 274 bp fragment sufficient for expression in retinal progenitors and an adjacent 156 bp fragment required for expression in pancreatic progenitors. Since this enhancer is only transiently expressed during embryogenesis, a Cre‐ loxP fate‐mapping strategy was used to investigate the developmental potential of these progenitors. Surprisingly, the labeled retinal precursors predominantly gave rise to horizontal cells, indicating a cell lineage role in horizontal cell differentiation. In the pancreas, all enhancer‐specific cells were restricted to endocrine and ductal cell lineages. This result lends support to a model whereby Pax6 ‐expressing progenitors contribute to the adult pancreatic islets and ducts. The progenitor cell‐specificity of this enhancer will be useful in studies that require either cell‐specific expression or conditional gene inactivation in these cell populations. genesis 35:22–30, 2003. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.