| abstract |
This invention provides a polypeptide, TMEM27, and secreted forms thereof, nucleic acids and constructs encoding the same, and cells comprising the same. The TMEM27 protein is expressed in hormone positive cells at early stages of pancreas development and pancreatic β-cells in the mature pancreas, whose expression promotes pancreatic β-cell replication and increased islet mass. Applications of the protein in diagnostics and therapeutics are described. |