Intrinsic and extrinsic determinants regulating cell fate decision in developing nervous system.
Cell fate in the nervous system is determined by environmental signals and/or heredity. They can be referred to as extrinsic and intrinsic determinants, respectively. The molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these processes are well conserved from invertebrates to vertebrates. We have identified both types of determinants through the intensive screening of P-element-induced Drosophila mutants affected in neural development. As a member of the first category, argos gene product which regulates cell-cell interaction in the developing nervous system gives a good example. As a member of the second category, we refer to Drosophila musashi gene encoding a neural RNA-binding protein. The fractions of these gene products and application to the mammalian nervous system will be discussed.
Okabe
M
M
Department of Molecular Neurobiology, University of Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Sawamoto
K
K
Imai
T
T
Sakakibara
S
S
Yoshikawa
S
S
Okano
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D005796:Genes; D009154:Mutation; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D009420:Nervous System / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development*; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D005136:Eye Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; C088623:msi protein, Drosophila; C075638:aos protein, Drosophila