In mice, partial cDNA sequences from the PTS domain suggest the presence of two repetitive PTS regions containing 8 or 10 repetitive units interspaced by a cysteine-rich domain. In summary, we have characterized the chicken MUC2 cDNA and identified several conserved structural features of the chicken gene, including VWC, VWD, TIL, C8 and CT domains, as well as large PTS tandem repeat region. Interestingly, although the VWC, VWD, TIL, C8 and CT domains are highly conserved amongst human, mouse and chicken, the PTS domain is quite divergent. Since MUC2 is highly glycosylated posttranslationally, this diversity could prove to be a valuable method for generating species-specific innate immune responses to different host pathogens. This is supported by the supposition that the different species could create mucin gel layers with vastly different pore sizes. This could hamper the ability of pathogens to invade different species and Mepiroxol provide a mechanism for the different responses seen across species. Interestingly, known sequence variations in other species have elicited functional differences in cancer incidence, induction of virulence from pathogens, bacterial mucolysis, amongst others, suggesting that the heterogeneity of MUC2 plays an important role in many different biological processes. By defining the structure of mucin from an avian species, we provide important information pertaining to a deeper understanding of the evolutionary mechanisms by which genes contribute to innate barrier functions in the host amongst a wide variety of species. By understanding the role of MUC2 in innate host defense in chickens, we may be able to develop more effective therapies for Chlorhexidine hydrochloride creating enhanced defense mechanisms in humans. The Hippo pathway plays an important role in cell proliferation, organ size control, and cancer development and progression. YAP and TAZ are both transcriptional co-activators that are inhibited by the Hippo pathway. Aberrant inactivation of the Hippo pathway and/or overexpression of TAZ and YAP results in transcriptional activation of their downstream targets. YAP overexpression induces cell proliferation and epithelial mesenchymal transition, and inhibits apoptosis and contact inhibition. Transcriptional activation of epidermal growth factor receptor ligand amphiregulin may account for YAPmediated induction of cell proliferation, especially under serumdepletion, while YAP also cooperates with Myc to promote cell proliferation. Recently, YAP has been shown to play a critical role in stem cell biology. It is induced during pluripotent stem cell reprogramming, whilst silencing of YAP reduces the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. YAP promotes ovarian cancer progression, and high levels of nuclear expression are inversely associated with patient survival. In particular, YAP is associated with clear cell ovarian tumors, an ovarian malignancy subtype with poor prognosis. YAP has also been shown to play an oncogenic role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In liver cancer, microRNA-mediated inhibition of YAP inhibits tumor characteristics including cell proliferation and invasion. Conversely, there are reports showing an opposite, tumor suppressive, role of YAP in promoting p73-mediated apoptosis. In breast and head and neck cancers, YAP has been shown to act as a tumor suppressor in certain circumstances. TAZ is structurally homologous to YAP, is likewise inhibited by the Hippo pathway, and also promotes EMT-mediated cancer progression. TAZ regulates mesenchymal stem cell differentiation by modulating Runx2- and PPAR gamma-dependent gene expression.