Paneth cells represent one of the six differentiated cell types of the intestinal epithelium. These cells secrete antimicrobial peptides and are important regulators of the intestinal microflora. We have been interested for several years in the function of the Sox9 transcription factor, which is strongly expressed in stem and Paneth cells (Blache et al., J. Cell Biol. 2004), as well as in tuft cells (Gerbe et al., J. Cell Biol. 2011). Constitutive deletion of the Sox9 gene in the intestinal epithelium causes ablation of the Paneth cell lineage (Bastide et al., J. Cell Biol. 2007).

Our current objective is to understand the function of Sox9 in Paneth cells and stem cells.

Absence of Paneth cells in a Sox9-deficient intestinal epithelium. Expression of Lysozyme, a marker of Paneth is analysed (brown DAB precipitate). Left: control tissue. Right: Sox9-deficient tissue. More details in

Bastide et al. JCB 2007, 178:635-648.  Link.