Investigating the Functions of Grainyhead-like 2 and 3 in Intestinal Epithelial Homeostasis and Regeneration

This thesis investigates the potential functions of a group of biological factors called the Grainyhead-like proteins in the mouse intestinal lining. It shows that individual loss of one of these proteins does not alter intestinal structure or activity during normal development or following injury. However, combined absence of two of these proteins causes weight loss and changes the regulation of intestinal cells. This shows that these two proteins have overlapping roles in the intestine. These findings increase understanding of how the Grainyhead-like proteins regulate the intestine and have varying functions in different organs.