Anti-Neurog 3/Ngn 3

Neurog 3/Ngn 3 belongs to the bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) class of transcription factors and functions primarily as an activator of gene transcription in endocrine progenitor cells. It is expressed in a small percentage of cells within the developing pancreas consisting of endocrine progenitor cells, and functions to directly enhance the expression of the lineage-committed transcription factors required for the differentiation of the endocrine progenitor cells into each of the endocrine cell subtypes. Ngn3 binds directly to the promoters of the beta -cell specific transcription factors beta2/NeuroD and Pax4 to promote the differentiation of progenitor cells into the b cell lineage. Ngn3 expression is extinguished coincident with the expression of the endocrine hormones that define the endocrine lineages, for example the insulin expression in beta cells. (21099270, 18599526) Protein function: Acts as a transcriptional regulator. Together with NKX2- 2, initiates transcriptional activation of NEUROD1. Involved in neurogenesis. Also required for the specification of a common precursor of the 4 pancreatic endocrine cell types. [The UniProt Consortium]