AbstractThe regenerating gene/regenerating islet‐derived (Reg) family is a group of small secretory proteins. Within this family, Reg type‐III (Reg‐III) consists of: Reg‐IIIα, ‐β, ‐γ, and ‐δ. To elucidate the physiological relevance of Reg‐III, we examined the localization and ontogeny of Reg‐IIIβ and Reg‐IIIγ in mice at different time points spanning from embryonic day 13.5 to 7 weeks old, using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. Our results showed that Reg‐IIIβ was expressed in specific subsets of primary sensory neurons and motor neurons, and that expression was transient during the embryonic and perinatal periods. Reg‐IIIβ expression was also observed in absorptive epithelial cells of the intestine. In contrast, Reg‐IIIγ expression was mainly observed in epithelial cells of the airways and intestine, but not in the nervous system, and expression levels showed a gradually increasing pattern along with development. In the airways Reg‐IIIγ was expressed in goblet and Clara‐like cells, whereas in the intestine Reg‐IIIγ was expressed in the absorptive epithelial cells and Paneth cells, and was found to be expressed in development before these organs had been exposed to the outside world. The present findings imply that Reg‐IIIβ and Reg‐IIIγ expression is regulated along divergent pathways. Furthermore, we also suggest that expression of Reg‐IIIγ in the airway and intestinal epithelia may occur to protect these organs from exposure to antigens or other factors (e.g., microbes) in the outer world, whereas the transient expression of Reg‐IIIβ in the nervous system may be associated with the development of the peripheral nervous system including such processes as myelination. J. Comp. Neurol., 2012;520:479–494. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.