My laboratory is interested in the characterization of precursors present in adult pancreatic islets of mice and on the signals that lead to their differentiation to insulin-producing cells. We are also working on intestinal stem/progenitor cells. We recently discovered signals that stimulate the proliferation of the subset of intestinal progenitor cells that generate a specific enteroendocrine cell type. Currently we are seeking to characterize the molecular phenotype of the progenitor cells and establish the pathway that lead to their increased replication activity.
Guz Y, Nasir I, Teitelman G. Regeneration of pancreatic beta cells from intra-islet precursor cells in an experimental model of diabetes. Endocrinology. 2001 Nov;142(11):4956-68.
Guz Y, Montminy MR, Stein R, Leonard J, Gamer LW, Wright CV, Teitelman G. Expression of murine STF-1, a putative insulin gene transcription factor, in beta cells of pancreas, duodenal epithelium and pancreatic exocrine and endocrine progenitors during ontogeny. Development. 1995 Jan;121(1):11-8.
Teitelman G, Alpert S, Polak JM, Martinez A, Hanahan D. Precursor cells of mouse endocrine pancreas coexpress insulin, glucagon and the neuronal proteins tyrosine hydroxylase and neuropeptide Y, but not pancreatic polypeptide. Development. 1993 Aug;118(4):1031-9.
Alpert S, Hanahan D, Teitelman G. Hybrid insulin genes reveal a developmental lineage for pancreatic endocrine cells and imply a relationship with neurons. Cell. 1988 Apr 22;53(2):295-308.