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Increased β‐catenin activity in the anterior neural plate induces ectopic mid‐hindbrain characteristics
Author(s) -
Paek Hunki,
Antoine Michelle W.,
Diaz Frank,
Hébert Jean M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.22787
Subject(s) - hindbrain , biology , wnt signaling pathway , cerebrum , fibroblast growth factor , neural plate , ectopic expression , microbiology and biotechnology , forebrain , neuroscience , cell fate determination , cell type , cell , genetics , neural tube , signal transduction , gene , central nervous system , receptor , transcription factor , embryo
Abstract Background: The early telencephalon shares molecular features with the early mid‐hindbrain region. In particular, these two developing brain areas each have a signaling center that secretes FGFs and an adjacent one that secretes WNTs. WNTs and FGFs each play essential roles in regulating cell fates in both the telencephalon and mid‐hindbrain. Despite this similarity, telencephalic and mid‐hindbrain precursors express distinct genes and ultimately generate different cell types, tissue morphologies, and neural functions. Results: Here we show that genetically increasing the level of β‐catenin, a mediator of canonical WNT signaling, in the anterior neural plate causes a loss of telencephalic characteristics and a gain of mid‐hindbrain characteristics. Conclusion: These results, together with previous ones demonstrating that increased WNT signaling in the anterior neural plate increases FGF expression, suggest that the levels of WNT and FGF signaling regulate telencephalic versus mid‐hindbrain fates. Developmental Dynamics 241:242–246, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.