Vsx-2, a gene encoding a paired-type homeodomain, is expressed in the retina, hindbrain, and spinal cord during goldfish embryogenesis.
Vsx-2 encodes a paired-type homeodomain and is the goldfish ortholog of the murine Chx10 gene. During development, Vsx-2 is expressed at high levels in goldfish and zebrafish retina. In addition to the retina, in situ hybridization studies using whole mount and cryosection embryos demonstrate that Vsx-2 is also expressed in subsets of neurons in the hindbrain and in the spinal cord. Expression begins approximately at the metencephalon-myelencephalon border and continues in a restricted lateral zone along the rostral-caudal axis of the spinal cord. These observations suggest a potential requirement for Vsx-2 in the specification and/or the maintenance of neurons in specific CNS regions during embryogenesis. Also discussed are other transcription factors which may act combinatorially with Vsx-2 to regulate neuronal differentiation.
Passini
M A
MA
Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, State University of New York, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
Raymond
P A
PA
Schechter
N
N
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics*; D006054:Goldfish / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*