Fig. 3.

mTOR mutants have compromised postnatal maturation. (A) qPCR for essential transcription factors required for growth and maturation in the postnatal islet. Whereas no difference is seen at birth, loss of these transcription factors occurs in the first 2 weeks of life in mTOR mutants. (B) In conjunction, protein levels of Pax6 and Nkx2.2 are significantly reduced at P14. (C) Maturation markers Ucn3 and Mafa are reduced in β cells at P14. Ucn3 protein continues to decrease at P21, indicative of a continued loss of maturity in mTOR mutant islets. (D) qPCR analysis of P14 pancreatic hormones. Decreased mRNA levels are observed for all islet hormones. A trend of increasing Ghrl expression is also seen, indicative of a maturation defect. See also Fig. S5. Mean±s.e.m.; *P<0.05. Scale bars: 50 µm. See Table S3 for numbers of animals used.