PUBLICATION

Hedgehog signaling pathway is essential for pancreas specification in the zebrafish embryo

Authors
Roy, S., Qiao, T., Wolff, C., and Ingham, P.W.
ID
ZDB-PUB-010905-3
Date
2001
Source
Current biology : CB   11(17): 1358-1363 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Ingham, Philip, Qiao, Tong, Roy, Sudipto, Wolff, Christian
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Gene Expression
  • Hedgehog Proteins
  • Homeodomain Proteins*
  • Pancreas/embryology*
  • Receptors, Cell Surface/genetics
  • Receptors, Cell Surface/metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled*
  • Signal Transduction/genetics
  • Signal Transduction/physiology*
  • Trans-Activators/genetics
  • Trans-Activators/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish/embryology
  • Zebrafish Proteins*
PubMed
11553330 Full text @ Curr. Biol.
Abstract
Recent studies have implicated the signaling factor Sonic hedgehog (Shh) as a negative regulator of pancreatic development, but as a positive regulator of pancreas function in amniotes [1-4]. Here, using genetic analysis, we show that specification of the pancreas in the teleost embryo requires the activity of Hh proteins. Zebrafish embryos compromised in Hh signaling exhibit disruption in the expression of the pancreas-specifying homeobox gene pdx-1 and concomitantly show almost complete absence of the endocrine pancreas. Reciprocally, ubiquitous activation of the Hh pathway in wild-type embryos causes ectopic induction of endodermal pdx-1 expression and the differentiation of supernumerary endocrine cells. Our results suggest that Hh proteins influence pancreas specification via inductive interactions from the axial midline rather than through their localized expression in the endodermal cells themselves.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping