Pancreatic islet cells provide the major source of counteractive endocrine hormones required for maintaining glucose homeostasis; severe health problems result when these cell types are insufficiently active or reduced in number. Therefore, the process of islet endocrine cell lineage allocation is critical to ensure there is a correct balance of islet cell types. There are four endocrine cell t...

The current model for endocrine cell specification in the pancreas invokes high-level production of the transcription factor Neurogenin 3 (Neurog3) in Sox9(+) bipotent epithelial cells as the trigger for endocrine commitment, cell cycle exit, and rapid delamination toward proto-islet clusters. This model posits a transient Neurog3 expression state and short epithelial residence period. We show,...

In this study we describe the ultrastructure of the endocrine cells observed in the midgut of M. quadrifasciata anthidioides. This bee has two types of endocrine cells, which are numerous on the posterior midgut region. Cells of the closed type are smaller and have irregular secretory granules with lower electrondensity than those of the open cell type. The open cell type has elongated mitochon...

Pancreatic multipotent progenitor cells (MPCs) produce acinar, endocrine and duct cells during organogenesis, but their existence and location in the mature organ remain contentious. We used inducible lineage-tracing from the MPC-instructive gene Ptf1a to define systematically in mice the switch of Ptf1a(+) MPCs to unipotent proacinar competence during the secondary transition, their rapid decl...

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal syndrome caused by mutations in the MEN1 tumor suppressor gene. Whereas the protein product of MEN1, menin, is ubiquitously expressed, somatic loss of the remaining wild-type MEN1 allele results in tumors primarily in parathyroid, pituitary, and endocrine pancreas. To understand the endocrine specificity of the MEN1 syndrome, we evaluat...

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), an enzyme involved in the catabolism of tryptophan, is expressed by a variety of cells and tissues such as macrophages, dendritic cells, cells of the endocrine system and by the placenta. IFN- γ is the main inducer of this enzyme. IDO acts as an important defense mechanism of innate immunity against pathogens. It also has tumor suppressive activity and prolong...

To elucidate the biological and clinicopathological significance of endocrine differentiation in gastric adenocarcinoma, an immunohistochemical study was made of 127 cases with ascertained five-year survivals, and of 45 recent cases of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling. Endocrine differentiated cancer cells were demonstrated in 37 out of the 127 cases (29.1%) evaluated by chromogranin A (CGA) i...

The endocrine pancreas of the toad consists of rounded islets of various sizes embedded in the exocrine tissue. Isolated cells are also present. At least 4 types of endocrine cell are distinguishable by shape, size and electrondensity of the secretory granules as well as by their immunoreactivity with different antisera: insulin, somatostatin, pancreatic polypeptide, and glucagon cells. Insulin...

In recent years a novel scientific discipline called psychoneuroimmunology has emerged that examines complex interdependence of the mind, brain, endocrine and immune system in health disease. Homeostasis (a self-referral phenomenon) plays an important role keeping person healthy it fundamental host defense. Many studies show stress (acute or chronic) creates disorder especially regulation. this...

During the embryonic growth mechanisms that are not fully clear ensures that exo-and endocrine cells are formed in the correct proportion. The embryonic endocrine progenitor cells are a subset of the developing Pdxl pancre-atic epithelial cells marked by the expression of Neurogenin3 (Ngn3). Ngn3 encodes a basic-Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) transcription factor (NGN3) that is required for the expres...