Resumen de Pancreas organogenesis, a focus on Pax4
The pancreas is a glandular organ with a double soul: endocrine and exocrine. Functionally, these translates into the secretion ofdigestive enzymes into the gut and nutrient-homeost asis regulation hormones into the bloodstream. Morphologically, it has two differentiated cell populations: endocrine cells, packed into the islets of Langerhans, and exocrine cells, that form the vast majority of the pancreas arbor structure. It has an endodermic origin, arising as two buds in the dorsal and ventral side of the endodermic foregut and branching during de- velopment through protrusion structures. This development is coordinated by a complex signaling and transcriptional network in which Pdx1 has a leading role, determining pancreas progenitors. Pax4, expressed later in development and adulthood, is specifically reviewed here dueto its β-cell mass regulation capabilities and the chances it offers to design a new therapy for diabetes, caused by insulin producing cells dysfunction
