BMC Developmental Biology

official impact factor 2.78

Open Access Highly Access Research article

Rac1 regulates pancreatic islet morphogenesis

Thomas U Greiner1, Gokul Kesavan1, Anders Ståhlberg2,3 and Henrik Semb1*

Author Affiliations

1 Stem Cell and Pancreas Developmental Biology, Stem Cell Center, Lund University, BMC B10, Klinikgatan 26, SE-221 84 Lund, Sweden

2 Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Rehabilitation, Institute of Neurosciences and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Medicinaregatan 9A, SE 413 90 Göteborg, Sweden

3 TATAA Biocenter, Odinsgatan 28, 411 03 Göteborg, Sweden

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BMC Developmental Biology 2009, 9:2 doi:10.1186/1471-213X-9-2

Published: 6 January 2009

Additional files

Additional file 1:

RIP-RacN17 islets attach to ducts after mild collagenase P perfusion. (A) Mild collagenase P perfusion of adult pancreata resulted in an increased presence of islet-duct aggregates in RIP-RacN17. (B) Quantification of islets that were attached to ducts in adult mice after mild collagenase P perfusion was determined and shows a statistical significant increase in the transgenic animals (n = 4). Error bars represent standard deviation from the mean (± s.d.) and significant values are indicated as **p < 0.01 determined by Student's t-test (n = 4). Bar, 500 μm.

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Additional file 2:

Deficient activation of Rac1 results in alteration of the shape of large islets. (A,B) Paraffin sections from adult mice stained with H&E. Wild-type islets (A) show a round or oval shape, whereas transgenic islets exhibit a more irregular shape. (C) Quantification of the shape of the 10% largest islets shows a statistical difference between the wild-type and the transgene. The circularity ratio (4πA/p2) was compared between the wild-type and the transgenic islets (n = 3). Error bars represent standard deviation from the mean (± s.d.) and significant values are indicated as *p < 0.05 determined by Student's t-test (n = 3) (A = area, p = perimeter). Bars, 100 μm.

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Additional file 3:

Extracellular matrix adhesion and composition remain unaltered in RIP-RacN17 islets. Immunofluorescence staining of adult pancreata with antibodies against laminin (A,B), collagen IV (C,D), fibronectin (E,F), vinculin (G,H), integrin β1 (I,J) and active integrin β1 (K,L). Bars, 50 μm.

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