Human pathology

Home page > E. Pathology by systems > Digestive system > Pancreas > pancreatic development

pancreatic development

Molecular signaling pathways

FOXA2 IPF1

Differentiation of early foregut endoderm into pancreatic endocrine and exocrine cells depends on a cascade of gene activation events controlled by various transcription factors.

The forkhead/winged helix transcription factor FOXA2 (formerly HNF-3beta) is a major upstream regulator of IPF1 (human homolog of murine Pdx1), a homeobox gene essential for pancreatic development.

IPF1 is also essential for the maintenance of glucose homeostasis.

Pathology

- anomalies of pancreatic organogenesis (pancreatic dysplasia)

Features

- FOXA2/IPF1 regulatory cascade during pancreatic beta-cell differentiation

References

- Edlund H. Pancreatic organogenesis—developmental mechanisms and implications for therapy. Nat Rev Genet. 2002 Jul;3(7):524-32. PMID: 12094230