title: Mouse Zic1 is involved in cerebellar development.
abstract: Zic genes encode zinc finger proteins, the expression of which is highly restricted to cerebellar granule cells and their precursors. These genes are homologs of the Drosophila pair-rule gene odd-paired. To clarify the role of the Zic1 gene, we have generated mice deficient in Zic1. Homozygous mice showed remarkable ataxia during postnatal development. Nearly all of the mice died within 1 month. Their cerebella were hypoplastic and missing a lobule in the anterior lobe. A bromodeoxyuridine labeling study indicated a reduction both in the proliferating cell fraction in the external germinal layer (EGL), from 14 d postcoitum, and in forward movement of the EGL. These findings suggest that Zic1 may determine the cerebellar folial pattern principally via regulation of cell proliferation in the EGL.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, Tsukuba Life Science Center and Brain Science Institute, Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN), Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305, Japan.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aruga
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Minowa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yaginuma
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kuno
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mikoshiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D016296:Mutagenesis / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D016335:Zinc Fingers / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C085443:Opa protein, Drosophila; D014157:Transcription Factors