Expression of c-maf and mafB genes in the skin during rat embryonic development.
The maf oncogene (v-maf) was initially identified in an avian oncogenic retrovirus, AS42, which induces musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma in vivo and transforms chicken embryo fibroblasts in vitro. Genes of the maf family have important roles in embryonic development and cellular differentiation. Both genes are expressed in a wide variety of tissues including spleen, kidney, lens and liver. The present study was performed to analyze expression of c-maf-1 and mafB genes in skin of embryonic stages from 15 days onwards using in situ hybridization. Expression of c-maf mRNA was first detected on embryonic day (ED) 16 in the nuclei of cells in the basal layer in developing epidermis. On ED 19, high expression was detected in the nucleus of basal keratinocytes and developing hair germs. On postnatal day (PD) 3, expression of c-maf had disappeared in epidermis and hair follicles. MafB showed similar expression patterns as c-maf. Our findings indicate that c-maf and mafB are involved in embryonic development of epidermis and hair follicles.
Ogata
Akihiko
A
Department of Neurology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan.
Shimizu
Tadamichi
T
Abe
Riichiro
R
Shimizu
Hiroshi
H
Sakai
Masaharu
M
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D030161:Avian Proteins; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D004817:Epidermis / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor; D051256:Oncogene Protein v-maf; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D051257:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-maf; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D012867:Skin / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D030161:Avian Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C495609:Maf protein, rat; D051258:MafB Transcription Factor; C490405:Mafb protein, rat; D051256:Oncogene Protein v-maf; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051257:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-maf; D014157:Transcription Factors; C495606:v-Maf protein, Avian retrovirus AS42