III. Role Of the RET signal transduction pathway in development of the mammalian enteric nervous system.
The enteric nervous system (ENS) in vertebrates is derived from the neural crest and constitutes the most complex part of the peripheral nervous system. Natural and induced mutagenesis in mammals has shown that the tyrosine kinase receptor RET and its functional ligand glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) play key roles in the development of the ENS in humans and mice. We have developed and briefly describe here a number of assays that analyze the specific function of the RET receptor and its ligand. Our data suggest that the RET signal transduction pathway has multiple roles in the development of the mammalian ENS.
Division of Developmental Neurobiology, National Institute for Medical Research, Mill Hill, London NW7 1AA, United Kingdom.
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Pachnis
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Durbec
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Taraviras
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Grigoriou
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Natarajan
D000818:Animals; D004064:Digestive System / Q000294:innervation*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals; D051379:Mice; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014714:Vertebrates
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C495039:GDNF protein, human; C495040:Gdnf protein, mouse; D051100:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C416649:Ret protein, Drosophila; C494999:Ret protein, mouse