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First published online December 28, 2004

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Gut projections: the hedgehog connection

During the development of the small intestine, a smooth-surfaced endodermal tube is remodelled to form finger-like projections (villi), where food absorption occurs, and flask-shaped invaginations (crypts), which contain the intestinal stem cells. On p. 279, Madison and colleagues report that a combined sonic (Shh) and Indian (Ihh) hedgehog signal produced by the epithelial cells in the developing intestine controls villus formation and patterning in a paracrine manner. By generating transgenic mice that express hedgehog (Hh) interacting protein – a pan-Hh inhibitor – in the neonatal intestine, the researchers show that even weak inhibition of Hh signalling perturbs crypt/villus patterning, causing the mislocalisation of subepithelial myofibroblasts to the villus tips and increased epithelial proliferation. Overall, conclude the researchers, the intestinal epithelium normally patterns the crypt-villus axis by sending Hh signals to underlying subepithelial myofibroblasts, the likely producers of the Wnt signals that control epithelial proliferation.

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Related articles in Development:

Epithelial hedgehog signals pattern the intestinal crypt-villus axis

Blair B. Madison, Katherine Braunstein, Erlene Kuizon, Kathleen Portman, Xiaotan T. Qiao, and Deborah L. Gumucio
Development 2005 132: 279-289. [Abstract] [Full Text]  

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Related articles in Development Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                         What's this?