title: Spatial and temporal expression patterns of GDNF family receptor alpha4 in the developing chicken retina.
abstract: GDNF family receptor alpha (GFRalpha) receptors are involved in the regulation of different aspects of embryonic development such as proliferation, migration, differentiation and survival. To determine the possible role of GFRalpha4 in retinal development, we analysed its expression in the developing chicken retina. We found that GFRalpha4 is temporally co-expressed with c-ret. Both, the temporal and spatial expression of GFRalpha4 is developmentally regulated during retinogenesis and is first detected in cells of the ganglion cell layer at E6. As development of the retina proceeds, the expression of GFRalpha4 extends to cells of the inner half of the inner nuclear layer and to cells of the outermost cell row of the inner nuclear layer. Later on, GFRalpha4 expression is also found in additional cells of the outer half of the inner nuclear layer and in a subpopulation of photoreceptors. A central-to-peripheral gradient of retinal differentiation is evident, as the onset of GFRalpha4 expression is first detectable in the central retina, while it is delayed by two days in its periphery.
authors.affiliation: Biotechnological-Biomedical Center, Division of Molecular Biological-Biochemical Processing Technology, University of Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany. andree.rothermel@bbz.uni-leipzig.de
authors.forename: Andrée
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rothermel
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Volpert
authors.forename: Ralf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schlichting
authors.forename: Jutta
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huhn
authors.forename: Meike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stotz-Reimers
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Robitzki
authors.forename: Paul G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Layer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins; D002642:Chick Embryo; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D012160:Retina / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins; C113146:GFR receptor alpha 4, Gallus gallus; D051097:Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Receptors; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor; D051096:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ret; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases