Progressive induction of caudal neural character by graded Wnt signaling.
Early in differentiation, all neural cells have a rostral character. Only later do posteriorly positioned neural cells acquire characteristics of caudal forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain cells. Caudalization of neural tissue in the chick embryo apparently involves the convergent actions of (i) fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling and (ii) signaling from the caudal paraxial mesoderm, or 'PMC activity', which has not yet been defined molecularly. Here we report evidence that Wnt signaling underlies PMC activity, and show that Wnt signals act directly and in a graded manner on anterior neural cells to induce their progressive differentiation into caudal forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain cells.
Nordström
Ulrika
U
Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, S-901 87 Umeå, Sweden.
Jessell
Thomas M
TM
Edlund
Thomas
T
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D046508:Culture Techniques; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D005775:Gastrula / Q000378:metabolism; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins
D020033:Protein Isoforms; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors