Preservation of proliferating pancreatic progenitor cells by Delta-Notch signaling in the embryonic chicken pancreas

摘要

BackgroundGenetic studies have shown that formation of pancreatic endocrine cells in mice is dependent on the cell autonomous action of the bHLH transcription factor Neurogenin3 and that the extent and timing of endocrine differentiation is controlled by Notch signaling. To further understand the mechanism by which Notch exerts this function, we have investigated pancreatic endocrine development in chicken embryos.