The transcription factor Pax6 is required for development of the diencephalic dorsal midline secretory radial glia that form the subcommissural organ.
During brain development, Pax6 is expressed in specific regions of the diencephalon including secretory cells of the subcommissural organ (SCO), a circumventricular organ at the forebrain-midbrain boundary that originates from the pretectal dorsal midline neuroepithelial cells beneath the posterior commissure (PC). Homozygous small eye (Sey/Sey) mice lack functional Pax6 protein and fail to develop the SCO, a normal PC and the pineal gland. Small eye heterozygotes (Sey/+) show defective development of the SCO's basal processes which normally penetrate the PC, indicating that normal development of the gland requires normal Pax6 gene-dosage. A correlation between the defects of SCO formation and altered R- and OB-cadherin expression patterns in the SCO is observed in mutants suggesting a role for cadherins in SCO development.
Estivill-Torrús
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Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh Medical School, Hugh Robson Building, George Square, EH8 9XD, Edinburgh, UK.
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Fernández-Llebrez
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D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006579:Heterozygote; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000502:physiology*; D006720:Homozygote; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D037102:Lectins / Q000378:metabolism; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D010870:Pineal Gland / Q000196:embryology; D016548:Prosencephalon / Q000378:metabolism; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D013997:Time Factors
D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D037102:Lectins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; C000605732:Pax6 protein, mouse; D012097:Repressor Proteins