title: Lbx1 specifies somatosensory association interneurons in the dorsal spinal cord.
abstract: Association and relay neurons that are generated in the dorsal spinal cord play essential roles in transducing somatosensory information. During development, these two major neuronal classes are delineated by the expression of the homeodomain transcription factor Lbx1. Lbx1 is expressed in and required for the correct specification of three early dorsal interneuron populations and late-born neurons that form the substantia gelatinosa. In mice lacking Lbx1, cells types that arise in the ventral alar plate acquire more dorsal identities. This results in the loss of dorsal horn association interneurons, excess production of commissural neurons, and disrupted sensory afferent innervation of the dorsal horn. Lbx1, therefore, plays a critical role in the development of sensory pathways in the spinal cord that relay pain and touch.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Neurobiology Laboratory, The Salk Institute, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Mirella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dottori
authors.forename: Martyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goulding
mesh_terms: D000344:Afferent Pathways / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics; D001369:Axons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000235:genetics*; D007395:Interneurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020671:Posterior Horn Cells / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013376:Substantia Gelatinosa / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C491868:Lbx1h protein, mouse; D009124:Muscle Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D020917:Receptor, trkA