Nodal antagonists regulate formation of the anteroposterior axis of the mouse embryo.
Patterning of the mouse embryo along the anteroposterior axis during body plan development requires migration of the distal visceral endoderm (DVE) towards the future anterior side by a mechanism that has remained unknown. Here we show that Nodal signalling and the regionalization of its antagonists are required for normal migration of the DVE. Whereas Nodal signalling provides the driving force for DVE migration by stimulating the proliferation of visceral endoderm cells, the antagonists Lefty1 and Cerl determine the direction of migration by asymmetrically inhibiting Nodal activity on the future anterior side.
Developmental Genetics Group, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, and CREST, Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST), 1-3 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Masamichi
M
Yamamoto
Yukio
Y
Saijoh
Aitana
A
Perea-Gomez
William
W
Shawlot
Richard R
RR
Behringer
Siew-Lan
SL
Ang
Hiroshi
H
Hamada
Chikara
C
Meno
D000818:Animals; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002465:Cell Movement; D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004707:Endoderm / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D017353:Gene Deletion; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D055458:Left-Right Determination Factors; D051379:Mice; D055457:Nodal Protein; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
C110586:Cer1 protein, mouse; D016207:Cytokines; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C491117:Foxh1 protein, mouse; D055458:Left-Right Determination Factors; D055457:Nodal Protein; C526008:Nodal protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta