The role of Prop1 in pituitary cell proliferation

垂体腺的发育依赖于由周围组织产生的外源性因子和垂体固有的转录因子的适当空间和时间表达。这些信号用于控制垂体前叶的5种激素产生细胞类型的特异性和增殖。垂体发育缺陷引起的一种常见疾病是垂体激素联合缺乏症（CPHD）。已知在这种疾病中发生突变的一个基因是Prop1。患者以及Propl突变小鼠的血清促甲状腺激素、生长激素、催乳素和促性腺激素水平降低或可忽略不计。垂体体积减少是由于产生这些激素的细胞增殖失败所致。为了确定Propl在垂体细胞增殖中的作用，将进行以下研究：表征Propl不存在或持续过表达的垂体的表型，并验证和表征推定的Propl靶基因。

Development of the pituitary gland relies on the proper spatial and temporal expression of extrinsic factors produced by the surrounding tissue and transcription factors intrinsic to the pituitary. These signals serve to control the specification and proliferation of the 5 hormone producing cell types of the anterior pituitary gland. A common disease that results from a defective pituitary deirelopment is combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD). One gene known to be mutated in this disease is Prop1. Patients as well as mice with mutations in Propl present with decreased or negligible levels of the serum hormones thyrotropin, growth hormone, prolactin and gonadotropins. Decreased pituitary volume results from failure of the cells that produce these hormones to proliferate. To define the role of Propl in pituitary cell proliferation, the following studies will be performed: characterize the phenotype of pituitaries in which Propl is either absent or overexpressed persistently, and validate and characterize putative Propl target genes.