A study of regional gut endoderm potency by analysis of Cdx2 null mutant chimaeric mice

Inactivation of Cdx2 by homologous recombination results in the development of forestomach epithelium at ectopic sites in pericaecal areas of the midgut of heterozygote mice. Local factors subsequently result in the secondary induction of tissues exhibiting an orderly sequence of tissue types between the ectopic forestomach tissue and the surrounding colon. Clonal analysis of this secondarily generated tissue using Y chromosome painting in chimaeric mice indicates that once differentiated to express Cdx2, host colonic epithelium can only form small intestinal-type epithelium, while Cdx2 mutant cells give rise to a succession of gastric-type tissue but never to a small intestine morphology. Our results indicate a difference in potency between forestomach and midgut precursor endodermal cells. Keywords: Cdx2; Homeobox; Intercalation; Gut development