title: Predominant expression of Brn-2 in the postmitotic neurons of the developing mouse neocortex.
abstract: The expression of Brn-2, a central nervous systems (CNS)-specific POU domain transcription factor, in the developing mouse neocortex was examined with an anti-Brn-2 antibody. Brn-2 protein was first detected in CNS on embryonic day (E) 11.5, and remained strong until E15.5. From E11.5 to postnatal day (P) 0, a high level of Brn-2 expression was observed in the subventricular zone, the intermediate zone, and the outer layer of the neocortex, but not in the ventricular zone. In the double-staining experiments, most of the Brn-2 positive cells were also positive for NCAM-H, an adhesion molecule specific to post-mitotic neurons. Furthermore, BrdU-labeling experiments demonstrated the presence of Brn-2 protein exclusively in postmitotic cells. These results indicated that, in the developing neocortex, Brn-2 expression is up-regulated after the final cell division. Therefore, this transcription factor may be involved in the migration and/or maturation process of the immature neuronal cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of the Ultrastructural Research, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Bunkyo-ku, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hagino-Yamagishi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Saijoh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichikawa
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Minamikawa-Tachino
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hamada
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice / Q000196:embryology; D008938:Mitosis; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D064231:Nestin; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D007381:Intermediate Filament Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; C577485:Nes protein, mouse; D064231:Nestin; D019006:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecules; D050809:POU Domain Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; C085076:transcription factor Brn-2