title: Involvement of Notch-1 in mammalian retinal neurogenesis: association of Notch-1 activity with both immature and terminally differentiated cells.
abstract: The Notch pathway is thought to define an evolutionarily conserved signaling mechanism that regulates the differentiation of immature cells through cells interactions. We have examined the expression of the Notch-1 receptor, the central element of this pathway, in the developing rat retina, where cell-fate choices depend upon a series of local cell interactions. Notch-1 immunoreactivity is associated with differentiating cells at different stages of retinal neurogenesis, suggesting that Notch-1 may play a role in the successive cell-fate determination which governs retinal development. In addition, the Notch-1 immunoreactivity is detected in nuclei of postmitotic, differentiated neurons of the adult retina. Our observations raise the possibility that besides its role in the differentiation of immature cell populations Notch-1 activity may also be involved in the maintenance of the differentiated state.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, 68198-6395, USA.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zaqouras
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Artavanis-Tsakonas
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003429:Cross Reactions; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008938:Mitosis / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology*; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000737:chemistry; D014157:Transcription Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D008565:Membrane Proteins; C497761:NOTCH1 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C497763:Notch1 protein, rat; D051881:Receptor, Notch1; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014157:Transcription Factors