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BMP ligands act redundantly to pattern the dorsal telencephalic midline
Author(s) -
Hébert Jean M.,
Hayhurst Monica,
Marks Melissa E.,
Kulessa Holger,
Hogan Brigid L.M.,
McConnell Susan K.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
genesis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.093
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1526-968X
pISSN - 1526-954X
DOI - 10.1002/gene.10183
Subject(s) - cerebrum , forebrain , biology , neuroscience , embryonic stem cell , cell fate determination , anatomy , conditional gene knockout , phenotype , cell type , microbiology and biotechnology , cell , central nervous system , gene , genetics , transcription factor
The embryonic telencephalon is patterned into several areas that give rise to functionally distinct structures in the adult forebrain. Previous studies have shown that BMP4 and BMP2 can induce features characteristic of the telencephalic midline in cultured explants, suggesting that the normal role of BMP4 in the forebrain is to pattern the medial lateral axis of the telencephalon by promoting midline cell fates. To test this hypothesis directly in vivo, the Bmp4 gene was efficiently disrupted in the telencephalon using a CRE/ loxP approach. Analysis of Bmp4 ‐deficient telencephalons fails to reveal a defect in patterning, cell proliferation, differentiation, or apoptosis. The absence of a phenotype in the Bmp4 ‐deficient telencephalon along with recent genetic studies establishing a role for a BMP4 receptor, BMPRIA, in telencephalic midline development, demonstrate that loss of Bmp4 function in the telencephalon can be compensated for by at least one other Bmp gene, the identity of which has not yet been determined. genesis 35:214–219, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.