Expression of Sox transcription factors in the developing mouse pancreas

Abstract

Previous work has identified members of the homeodomain and basic helix-loop-helix families of transcription factors as critical determinants of mammalian pancreatic development. Here, we describe the identification of HMG-box transcription factors of the Sox gene family in the mouse pancreas. We detected transcripts for Sox11, Sox4, Sox13, Sox5, Sox9, Sox8, Sox10, Sox7, Sox17, Sox18, Sox15, and Sox30 in embryonic pancreas and found Sox4, Sox9, and Sox13 in adult pancreatic islets. Expression of seven of these Sox factors was studied in more detail by in situ hybridization from the stage of early pancreatic outgrowth to birth. Expression of Sox11 was found in the mesenchyme surrounding the pancreatic buds, whereas Sox4 and Sox9 were confined to the pancreatic epithelium and later to islets. Sox13 and L-Sox5 showed expression in most of the pancreatic epithelial cells between embryonic days 12.5 and 14.5. Sox8 and Sox10 were detected in a thin layer of cells surrounding the islets. The expression patterns of Sox genes in the embryonic pancreas suggest that they could have important and possibly redundant functions in pancreas development. Developmental Dynamics 227:402-408, 2003.

Foregut Mesenchyme Contributes Cells to Islets during Pancreatic Development in a 3-Dimensional Avian Model

“…[35][36][37] Indeed nephrons were thought to be derived by branching of the ureteric duct until the metanephric mesenchyme was characterised appropriately 38 and found to form nephrons by an evolutionarily conserved MET. 17,18 SOX genes, expressed both in the developing pancreas 39 and the developing urogenital system, 40 might be candidate mediators of MET in pancreas.…”

SOX4 cooperates with neurogenin 3 to regulate endocrine pancreas formation in mouse models

“…As such, the previous pancreatic studies did not definitively show that cell-autonomous actions of SOX4 in the pancreatic epithelium were necessary [28,31,53]. Furthermore, the early studies did not uncover when SOX4 becomes important for islet cell formation or how it functions to regulate islet cell genesis.…”

“…Previous work has demonstrated SOX4 expression in the embryonic human, mouse and zebrafish pancreas [28][29][30]. Null mutation of Sox4 results in cardiac abnormalities, defects in blood flow and embryonic lethality by E14.5 prior to completion of the bulk of endocrine cell differentiation.…”

“…A plethora of SOX genes has been demonstrated to be expressed within the developing pancreas, including most of the C, D, E, F, G and H subfamily members [28]. Early during pancreas formation, expression of an E group family member, SOX9, is critical for the maintenance of pancreatic progenitor identity [1].…”

Pancreas organogenesis: From bud to plexus to gland

“…Sox9 is a member of the SRY/HMG box (Sox) family, and was identified recently as involved in the proliferation, survival, and maintenance of pancreatic progenitors (Lioubinski et al, 2003;Seymour et al, 2007). This role is similar to its function in the hair bulge, intestinal epithelium, and neural crest (Cheung and Briscoe, 2003;Blache et al, 2004;Vidal et al, 2005).…”