Chicken homeobox gene prox 1 related toDrosophila prospero is expressed in the developing lens and retina

144

124

Prox1, a homeobox gene related to the Drosophila gene prospero, is necessary for retina, lens, liver, pancreas, and lymphatics development. However, not much is yet known about Prox1 expression during central nervous system development. Here we provide a detailed analysis of Prox1 mRNA and protein expression during prenatal and postnatal murine brain development. Prenatally, Prox1 is expressed in the subventricular zone or in early differentiating regions of the brain. At these stages, Prox1 mRNA, but not Prox1 protein, was also detected in several regions of the prethalamus and hypothalamus. At an early postnatal stage, Prox1 expression is mainly detected in several nuclei of the thalamus, the cerebellum, and the hippocampus. In adulthood, Prox1 expression remains only in the hippocampus and cerebellum. These complex patterns of expression suggest that Prox1 activity is differentially required during brain development and adulthood. Developmental Dynamics 236:518 -524, 2007.

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prox1 expression patterns in the developing and adult murine brain

Lavado

Oliver

2006

144

124

“…In particular, the Prox1 proteins share over 60% amino acid identity with the prospero protein in their C-terminal ends, where the homeodomain and the prospero domain are located. The expression pattern of Prox1 in the developing mammalian tissues is largely similar to that of prospero in flies (Oliver et al, 1993;Tomarev et al, 1996). The Prox1 transcript is detectable in the developing liver, nervous system, pancreas, and heart (Oliver et al, 1993), where it plays important roles as a master regulator of cell fate decisions that lead to the establishment of many different cell lineages during embryogenesis.…”

Section: Prox1mentioning

confidence: 91%

“…Prox1 is a homeodomain protein that was originally isolated due to its high homology to the Drosophila protein prospero (Oliver et al, 1993;Tomarev et al, 1996); reviewed in . In 1991, prospero was identified by the mutant phenotype of developmental defects in neuronal lineage establishment in the Drosophila central nervous system.…”

Section: Prox1mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prospero plays an important role in glial cell differentiation (Jacobs, 1993) and eye development (Kauffmann et al, 1996). Thus far, Prox1 proteins have been identified in human, mouse, chicken, newt, frog, and zebrafish; and their amino acid sequences are highly conserved across these species (Oliver et al, 1993;Tomarev et al, 1996;Schaefer et al, 1999). In particular, the Prox1 proteins share over 60% amino acid identity with the prospero protein in their C-terminal ends, where the homeodomain and the prospero domain are located.…”

Section: Prox1mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Development of the lymphatic vascular system: A mystery unravels

Hong

Shin

Detmar

2004

The blood vascular and the lymphatic system play complementary roles in tissue perfusion and fluid reabsorption. Despite its critical role in mediating tissue fluid homeostasis, intestinal lipid absorption, and the immune response, the lymphatic system has not received as much attention as the blood vascular system, largely due to a lack of lymphatic-specific markers and to the dearth of knowledge about the molecular regulation of lymphatic development and function. A series of recent landmark studies now significantly has advanced our understanding of the lymphatic system. Based upon the discovery and characterization of lymphatic-specific growth factors, receptors, and transcriptional regulators, the mystery of lymphatic vascular system development begins to be unraveled. The successful isolation and cultivation of blood vascular and lymphatic endothelial cells has enabled comparative molecular and cellular analyses of these two genetically and developmentally closely related cell lineages. Moreover, studies of several genetic mouse models have set the framework for a new molecular model of embryonic lymphatic vascular development and have identified molecular pathways whose mutational inactivation leads to human diseases associated with lymphedema. Although these rapid advances already have led to development of the first lymphatic-targeted molecular therapies, there still remain many unanswered questions regarding almost every aspect of lymphatic vascular biology, making the lymphatic system a highly exciting and rewarding field of study.

“…Among several transcription factors shown to participate in vertebrate eye development are the following: Pax-6, a transcription factor sufficient to cause ectopic eye formation in Drosophila and Xenopus (Halder et al, 1995;Altmann et al, 1997;Chow et al, 1999;Ashery-Padan et al, 2000;Zuber et al, 2003); XL-maf and XMafB, transcription factors able to activate the expression of lens crystallins in Xenopus (Ishibashi and Yasuda, 2001); Prox1 and xSix3, homeodomain transcription factors necessary for proper lens cell development in Xenopus, Drosophila, fish, and mouse (Oliver et al, 1993(Oliver et al, , 1996Tomarev et al, 1996Tomarev et al, , 1998Schaefer et al, 1999;Zhou et al, 2000;Carl et al, 2002;Zuber et al, 2003); Sox2 and Sox3, transcription factors containing an HMG domain, which are important in the regulation of crystallin expression and fiber cell differentiation in Xenopus, mouse, and chick (Kamachi et al, 1995(Kamachi et al, , 1998Uwanogho et al, 1995;Penzel et al, 1997;Schaefer et al, 1999;Kondoh et al, 2004); and Xotx2, a homeobox gene important in patterning the anterior central nervous system (CNS) and placodal structures in Xenopus (Pannese et al, 1995;Kablar et al, 1996;Schaefer et al, 1999). Many of these transcription factors have been shown to interact in a complex network of genes; however, the full complement of genes necessary for embryonic eye development, including hundreds of potential downstream targets, has not been identified.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation and characterization of a novel gene, xMADML, involved in Xenopus laevis eye development

Elkins

Henry

2006

We have identified Xenopus MADM-like (xMADML), a Xenopus laevis gene related to the murine MADM and the human NRBP genes. xMADML is expressed throughout early development and is expressed most strongly in the developing lens and more weakly in the retina and other anterior tissues. We demonstrate that disruption of xMADML translation by means of morpholino injection results in impaired retina and lens development. Reciprocal transplantation of the presumptive lens ectoderm between morpholinoinjected embryos and those injected solely with a dextran lineage tracer demonstrates that xMADML is necessary in both the lens and the retina for correct development of these eye tissues. Analysis of gene expression after knockdown of xMADML revealed significant alterations in the expression of some genes, including Pax6, xSix3, Sox2, and Sox3, suggesting that xMADML plays a role in regulating gene expression during development of the eye. This investigation is the first in vivo study examining the developmental role of this novel gene and reveals an important role of xMADML in eye tissue development and differentiation.