title: Hoxb-8 gain-of-function transgenic mice exhibit alterations in the peripheral nervous system.
abstract: To understand the developmental role of Hoxb-8, this relatively 5' Hoxb gene was ectopically expressed in embryonic regions where only more 3' Hox genes are normally expressed. Hoxb-8 coding sequences driven by a retinoic acid receptor beta2 promoter fragment were introduced in the mouse germ line by pronuclear injection. The promoter was chosen with the aim to extend rostrally the expression domain of the gene in neurectoderm and mesoderm at the time of development when Hox gene expression domains are being established. Embryos developing from DNA-injected zygotes, and from transgenic mouse lines were analyzed. Pattern alterations were observed in transgenic embryos, some of which involved the peripheral nervous system. Spinal ganglia in the mouse are first detectable around embryonic day 9.5. By day 11.5, the first of these ganglia (C1, Froriep's ganglion) has degenerated in the mouse and other amniotes. In contrast, this first ganglion did persist in the Hoxb-8 gain-of-function transgenic mice. We have started to take advantage of the phenotype of transgenic versus wild-type embryos to understand the mechanisms underlying the ontogeny and degeneration of Froriep's ganglion in wild-type mice, and the role of Hoxb-8 in C1 maintenance in transgenic embryos. The present work describes a morphological, histological and immunocytological analysis of both the degenerating and the permanent C1, and a preliminary characterization of the axonal extensions from the transgenic C1. We discuss the methodology of generating gain-of-function transgenic mice to study the genetics of pattern formation along the antero-posterior axis, and the usefulness of analyzing these particular Hoxb-8 transgenic embryos to understand some aspects of the ontogenesis and development of the upper cervical dorsal root ganglia.
authors.affiliation: Hubrecht Laboratory, Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Utrecht.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fanarraga
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charité
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hage
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: De Graaff
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Deschamps
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001369:Axons / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000502:physiology; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000235:genetics; D005727:Ganglia, Spinal / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000378:metabolism; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000196:embryology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D019076:Transgenes
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C095822:Hoxb8 protein, mouse; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; C082925:retinoic acid receptor beta