Misexpression of basic helix-loop-helix genes in the murine cerebral cortex affects cell fate choices and neuronal survival.
To investigate the role(s) of basic helix-loop-helix genes (bHLH) genes in the developing murine cerebral cortex, Mash1, Math2, Math3, Neurogenin1 (Ngn1), Ngn2, NeuroD, NeuroD2 and Id1 were transduced in vivo into the embryonic and postnatal cerebral cortex using retrovirus vectors. The morphology and location of infected cells were analyzed at postnatal stages. The data indicate that a subset of bHLH genes are capable of regulating the choice of neuronal versus glial fate and that, when misexpressed, they can be deleterious to the survival of differentiating neurons, but not glia.
Cai
L
L
Department of Genetics, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Morrow
E M
EM
Cepko
C L
CL
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000235:genetics; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018257:Helix-Loop-Helix Motifs / Q000235:genetics*; D051798:Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1; D051379:Mice; D009410:Nerve Degeneration / Q000235:genetics; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D012160:Retina / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051798:Inhibitor of Differentiation Protein 1; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C499317:Ascl1 protein, mouse; C499318:Ascl1 protein, rat; C497454:ID1 protein, rat; C497455:Idb1 protein, mouse; C490925:NEUROD2 protein, human; C490553:NEUROD6 protein, human; C491183:NEUROG2 protein, human; C098995:Neurod2 protein, mouse; C490924:Neurod2 protein, rat; C104516:Neurod4 protein, mouse; C110701:Neurod6 protein, mouse; C490554:Neurod6 protein, rat; C102938:Neurog2 protein, mouse; C093564:Neurogenic differentiation factor 1; C486336:Neurog1 protein, mouse