sonic hedgehog

            Sonic hedgehog In Pancreatic Islet Development.
             What role does the morphogen Sonic hedgehog play in Pancreatic Islet Development in the Zebrafish? How would Pancreatic Islet Development be altered without the function of Sonic hedgehog? These appear to be viable questions that the scientists involved in the experiment are seeking to answer. Various studies in the chick and mouse have revealed a multitude of new signaling and transcription factors relevant in the development of the pancreas and the differentiation of its components. Although many previously unknown steps in the latter stages of pancreatic development have been uncovered, much of the early aspects have remained elusive. It is thus significant to study the properties of secreted morphogens like Sonic hedgehog in an effort to better understand the basic, underlying principles of pancreatic development. Although the studies were restricted to the zebrafish in this particular experiment, relevant findings may be applied to other misunderstood species as well. Therefore, significant results would be valuable to the world of developmental biology by enhancing knowledge regarding not only the zebrafish, but possibly other species as well.
             Because very little is known about the early processes by which gut endoderm acquires competence to respond to later specific signals, the scientists seem to be studying the role of Sonic hedgehog in pancreatic development in an effort to unlock other secrets in signaling and transcription factors. It appears that their aim in this experiment is to demonstrate the necessity of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in pancreatic development of the zebrafish by observing such development under various conditions. They aim also to discover the process by which islet endocrine cells originate within the endoderm, and to define a more specific role of Shh in pancreatic development.
             The experimentation consisted of 5 major steps.