‡Michelle W. Antoine and Frank Diaz contributed equally to this work.
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Research Article
Increased β-catenin activity in the anterior neural plate induces ectopic mid-hindbrain characteristics
Article first published online: 18 NOV 2011
DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22787
Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Additional Information
How to Cite
Paek, H., Antoine, M. W., Diaz, F. and Hébert, J. M. (2012), Increased β-catenin activity in the anterior neural plate induces ectopic mid-hindbrain characteristics. Developmental Dynamics, 241: 242–246. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.22787
Publication History
- Issue published online: 24 JAN 2012
- Article first published online: 18 NOV 2011
- Accepted manuscript online: 8 NOV 2011 10:10AM EST
- Manuscript Accepted: 3 NOV 2011
Funded by
- NIH NIMH. Grant Number: 083804
- Hirschl/Weill-Caulier Foundation
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- β-catenin;
- telencephalon;
- mid-hindbrain boundary;
- FGF;
- WNT;
- mouse
Key findings:
Elevating the level of active β-catenin in the anterior neural plate leads to a loss of the telencephalon.
Instead, high levels of β-catenin in the anterior neural plate leads to mid-hindbrain characteristics.
β-catenin levels may regulate a telencephalic versus mid-hindbrain fate by regulating levels of FGF signaling.
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.