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Transdifferentiation and metaplasia--switching cell types
1Developmental Biology Programme, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY, Bath, UK. J.M.W.Slack@bath.ac.uk
Current Opinion in Genetics & Development
|September 5, 2001
Abstract:
States of developmental commitment are encoded as combinations of transcription factors and changes in their expression can bring about transdifferentiation or metaplasia. For example, ectopic expressions of Vestigial can convert Drosophila leg to wing; of C/EBPbeta can convert pancreatic exocrine cells to hepatocytes; and expression of C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma can convert myoblasts to adipocytes.