SUMMARYNotch signaling is known to regulate the proliferation and differentiation of intestinal stem and progenitor cells; however, direct cellular targets and specific functions of Notch signals had not been identified. We show here in mice that Notch directly targets the crypt base columnar (CBC) cell to maintain stem cell activity. Notch inhibition induced rapid CBC cell loss, with reduced proliferation, apoptotic cell death and reduced efficiency of organoid initiation. Furthermore, expression of the CBC stem cellspecific marker Olfm4 was directly dependent on Notch signaling, with transcription activated through RBP-J binding sites in the promoter. Notch inhibition also led to precocious differentiation of epithelial progenitors into secretory cell types, including large numbers of cells that expressed both Paneth and goblet cell markers. Analysis of Notch function in Atoh1-deficient intestine demonstrated that the cellular changes were dependent on Atoh1, whereas Notch regulation of Olfm4 gene expression was Atoh1 independent. Our findings suggest that Notch targets distinct progenitor cell populations to maintain adult intestinal stem cells and to regulate cell fate choice to control epithelial cell homeostasis.

Adenosine is a determinant of metabolic control of organ function increasing oxygen supply through the A2 class of adenosine receptors and reducing oxygen demand through A1 adenosine receptors (A1AR). In the kidney, activation of A1AR in afferent glomerular arterioles has been suggested to contribute to tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF), the vasoconstriction elicited by elevations in [NaCl] in the macula densa region of the nephron. To further elucidate the role of A1AR in TGF, we have generated mice in which the entire A1AR coding sequence was deleted by homologous recombination. Homozygous A1AR mutants that do not express A1AR mRNA transcripts and do not respond to A1AR agonists are viable and without gross anatomical abnormalities. Plasma and urinary electrolytes were not different between genotypes. Likewise, arterial blood pressure, heart rates, and glomerular filtration rates were indistinguishable between A1AR ؉/؉ , A1AR

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is

To further understand the role of the peptide hormone gastrin in the development and function of the stomach, we have generated gastrin-deficient mice by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Mutant mice were viable and fertile, without obvious visible abnormalities. However, gastric function was severely affected by the loss of gastrin. Basal gastric acid secretion was abolished and could not be induced by histamine, carbachol, or gastrin. Histological analysis revealed alterations in the two cell types primarily involved in acid secretion, parietal and enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells. Parietal cells were reduced in number with an accumulation of immature cells lacking H+-K+-adenosinetriphosphatase (H+-K+-ATPase). ECL cells were positioned closer to the base of the gastric glands, with markedly lower expression of histidine decarboxylase. Gastrin administration for 6 days reversed the effects of the gastrin deficiency, leading to an increase in the number of mature, H+-K+-ATPase-positive parietal cells and a partial restoration of acid secretion. The results show that gastrin is critically important for the function of the acid secretory system.

The human salivary amylase genes are associated with two inserted elements, a ~/-actin-processed pseudogene and an endogenous retroviral-like element. To test the contribution of these inserted elements to tissue specificity, 25 lines of transgenic mice carrying 10 amylase constructs were established. A 1-kb fragment of AMY1C (-1003 to +2) was found to be sufficient for parotid-specific expression of a human growth hormone reporter gene. The 1-kb fragment is entirely derived from inserted sequences. Deletion from -1003 to -826 resulted in reduced levels of transgene expression and loss of tissue specificity. The fragment -1003 to -327 was sufficient to transfer parotid specificity to the thymidine kinase promoter. The data demonstrate that the functional tissue-specific promoter of human AMY1C is derived from inserted sequences and that parotid expression can be conferred by sequences derived solely from the retrovirus. A role for retrotransposition in the evolution of gene regulation is indicated by these and other recent observations.