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Gli proteins and the control of spinal‐cord patterning
Author(s) -
Jacob John,
Briscoe James
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
embo reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.584
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1469-3178
pISSN - 1469-221X
DOI - 10.1038/sj.embor.embor896
Subject(s) - sonic hedgehog , neural tube , spinal cord , neurogenesis , biology , floor plate , microbiology and biotechnology , gdf7 , neuroscience , zinc finger , anatomy , genetics , signal transduction , embryo , embryonic stem cell , transcription factor , gene
The secreted protein sonic hedgehog (Shh) is crucial for the specification of neuronal subtype identity in the vertebrate neural tube. Zinc‐finger proteins of the Gli family are known to be transcriptional mediators of Shh signalling, and to coordinately pattern the dorsal–ventral axis of the spinal cord. Recent studies indicate that additional signals may provide positional information in parallel to Shh to specify neuronal fate in this tissue. We review the role of Gli proteins in spinal‐cord development and propose that various upstream patterning signals may be integrated by the Gli proteins to direct a coherent programme of neurogenesis.