Heparin-binding EGF-like Growth Factor Promotes Murine Enteric Nervous System Development and Enteric Neural Crest Cell Migration

摘要

Background/PurposeDevelopmental defects of the enteric nervous system lead to a variety of disorders including Hirschprung’s disease. We have previously shown that heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF) exerts neuroprotective effects on injured neurons. The goal of this study was to assess the role of HB-EGF in enteric nervous system (ENS) development and evaluate the effect of HB-EGF on enteric neural crest-derived cell (ENCC) migration in the developing gastrointestinal tract of mice.