hindgutderived

Hindgut-derived is an adjective used in biology to describe cells, tissues, organs, or products that originate from the hindgut, the caudal portion of the embryonic gut tube. In vertebrate development, the gut tube differentiates into foregut, midgut, and hindgut; the hindgut gives rise to the distal colon, rectum, and the lower anal canal, along with their mucosal and submucosal components. The hindgut endoderm interacts with surrounding mesenchyme and undergoes patterning under signals such as WNT, FGF, and BMP. CDX2 is a key transcription factor that marks hindgut identity.

In stem cell and developmental biology, hindgut-derived cells can be produced from pluripotent stem cells by guiding differentiation first to definitive endoderm and then to hindgut endoderm, often using retinoic acid and WNT/FGF signaling cues. These hindgut-derived cells can be used to generate intestinal organoids that model the lower gastrointestinal tract, or to study hindgut-specific development, disease processes, and drug responses.

Applications and challenges include using hindgut-derived tissues to model colorectal diseases, test therapeutics, and explore regenerative strategies for colorectal injury. Limitations remain, such as achieving full regional maturation (distal colon versus rectum), ensuring stable hindgut identity over time, and avoiding unwanted cell types. Ethical and regulatory considerations apply to stem-cell–based approaches and tissue engineering.

See also endoderm, foregut, midgut, intestinal organoid, colorectal disease, and organogenesis.