RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Induction of Pancreatic Differentiation by Signals from Blood Vessels
JF Science
JO Science
FD American Association for the Advancement of Science
SP 564
OP 567
DO 10.1126/science.1064344
VO 294
IS 5542
A1 Lammert, Eckhard
A1 Cleaver, Ondine
A1 Melton, Douglas
YR 2001
UL http://science.sciencemag.org/content/294/5542/564.abstract
AB Blood vessels supply developing organs with metabolic sustenance. Here, we demonstrate a role for blood vessels as a source of developmental signals during pancreatic organogenesis. In vitro experiments with embryonic mouse tissues demonstrate that blood vessel endothelium induces insulin expression in isolated endoderm. Removal of the dorsal aorta in Xenopus laevis embryos results in the failure of insulin expression in vivo. Furthermore, using transgenic mice, we show that ectopic vascularization in the posterior foregut leads to ectopic insulin expression and islet hyperplasia. These results indicate that vessels not only provide metabolic sustenance, but also provide inductive signals for organ development.