title: Knockout of ERK5 causes multiple defects in placental and embryonic development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  ERK5 is a member of the mitogen activated protein kinase family activated by certain mitogenic or stressful stimuli in cells, but whose physiological role is largely unclear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  To help determine the function of ERK5 we have used gene targeting to inactivate this gene in mice. Here we report that ERK5 knockout mice die at approximately E10.5. In situ hybridisation for ERK5, and its upstream activator MKK5, showed strong expression in the head and trunk of the embryo at this stage of development. Between E9.5 and E10.5, multiple developmental problems are seen in the ERK5-/- embryos, including an increase in apoptosis in the cephalic mesenchyme tissue, abnormalities in the hind gut, as well as problems in vascular remodelling, cardiac development and placental defects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erk5 is essential for early embryonic development, and is required for normal development of the vascular system and cell survival.
authors.affiliation: MRC Protein Phosphorylation Unit, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK. l.yan@dundee.ac.uk
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Carr
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Ashby
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Murry-Tait
authors.forename: Calum
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.forename: J Simon C
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Arthur
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D000818:Animals; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000502:physiology; D005804:Genes, Lethal / Q000502:physiology; D006257:Head / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000196:embryology; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000196:embryology; D038061:Lower Extremity Deformities, Congenital / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D048054:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 7; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000502:physiology; D010920:Placenta / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D048054:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 7; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases