Expression of the chicken retinoid X receptor-gamma gene in migrating cranial neural crest cells.
We have used in situ hybridisation to whole chick embryos with digoxygenin-labelled probes to investigate the distribution of RXR-gamma transcripts during neural crest cell migration in the developing head and the anterior of the trunk (the vagal region), where neural crest cells make a substantial contribution. We have found that RXR-gamma transcripts are a good marker for migrating neural crest cells in the chick embryo. RXR-gamma transcripts were first detected in cells that had recently emerged from the neural crest, providing an earlier marker for neural crest cells than the HNK-1 epitope. The pattern of RXR-gamma transcript distribution is dynamic in the developing chick head, and changes in a pattern which is coincident with the migration of cells containing RXR-gamma transcripts and the gradual restriction of RXR-gamma transcripts to specific differentiating neural crest derivatives. Transcripts appeared to be present initially in migrating neural crest cells thoughout the developing head, but gradually became restricted to some crest-derived populations and absent from others. By stage 15, RXR-gamma transcripts were not detectable in neural-crest-derived ectomesenchymal cells, although they were still found in cells contributing to the cranial ganglia and their roots.
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000502:physiology*; D004076:Digoxigenin; D015870:Gene Expression; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009432:Neural Crest / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D015347:RNA Probes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D047488:Retinoid X Receptors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D004076:Digoxigenin