| 摘要 |
The present invention features a human neurogenin3 (Ngn3) polypeptide and nucleotide sequences encoding Ngn3 polypeptides. In a particular aspect, the polynucleotide is the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. In addition, the invention features isolated nucleic acid sequence comprising an Ngn3 promoter, as well as a polynucleotide sequences that hybridize under stringent conditions to SEQ ID NO:1. In related aspects the invention features expression vectors and host cells comprising polynucleotides that encode a human Ngn3 polypeptide. The present invention also relates to antibodies that bind specifically to a human Ngn3 polypeptide, methods for producing human Ngn3 polypeptides, methods for identifying beta -cell precursor cells expressing Ngn3, methods for using the Ngn3 gene and the Ngn3 polypeptide to alter cellular differentiation in culture or in vivo to produce new beta -cells to treat patients with diabetes mellitus, and identification of individuals at risk for diabetes by detecting alteration in Ngn3 coding and regulatory sequences and Ngn3 expression levels. |
