Posted by Gabrielle on February 05, 2001 at 22:28:52:
In Reply to: Re: neurogenin-3 posted by Alan F. Bachrach, M.D. on February 05, 2001 at 20:52:35:
Neurogenin 3 is one of the proteins which controls the developmental fate of a cell as it differentiates from a pancreatic ductal cell to a beta cell during embryogenesis. Transcription factors usually turn on many genes at appropriate times (including other transcription factors). If we are interested in ever growing islets from ductal cells (say harvesting a patient's own ductal cells and then inducing them to become islets), we need to understand which proteins are going to make it a beta cell and not for example an alpha cell which also comes from the same precursor. Alternatively, we could take the idiot's approach and just throw things at the ductal cells until they one day become an islet. :-). An intelligent approach might speed things along - especially since the information is there.
Yes, I hope that what I am doing is not scientific spam! My thought processes have evolved a lot from the questions on the board. I am hoping that other scientists will one day accidently stumble upon some of the exchanges in a web search about diabetes research and that it activates the neurons in their brains as well to think about some of these questions and follow the exchanges. I realize that most non-diabetics would consider it unprofessional to comment on events in a non-peer-reviewed spontaneous manner, but as a diabetic I want to see things move along as quickly as possible. Hence this forum has its place for me.
The main thing is not to feel intimidated. Ask questions, never be afraid of being ignorant - every good scientist feels that way most of the time. The point is to evolve.
I'll look around for a easier primer on immunology and post it here when I find it. There are probably some pretty good ones out on the web. It is complex, but break it down (look the words up), and your average determined person should be able to get it with some work.