Publications by authors named "Heather L Mentch"
JCI Insight
February 2020
Article Synopsis
- Researchers discovered that mice missing the DLX1 and DLX2 transcription factors have slower small bowel transit and fewer nerve contractions, indicating bowel motility issues.
- Despite the lack of visible structural defects in the enteric nervous system, RNA sequencing showed that many genes, particularly vasoactive intestinal peptide (Vip), were dysregulated in these mice.
- The study establishes a new link between DLX genes and VIP expression, suggesting their absence can lead to serious bowel motility problems, with potential implications for conditions like chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) syndrome.
