The activity of the Nodal antagonist Cerl-2 in the mouse node is required for correct L/R body axis.
Correct establishment of the left/right (L/R) body asymmetry in the mouse embryo requires asymmetric activation of the evolutionarily conserved Nodal signaling cascade in the left lateral plate mesoderm (L-LPM). Furthermore, the presence of Nodal in the node is essential for its own expression in the L-LPM. Here, we have characterized the function of cerl-2, a novel Nodal antagonist, which displays a unique asymmetric expression on the right side of the mouse node. cerl-2 knockout mice display multiple laterality defects including randomization of the L/R axis. These defects can be partially rescued by removing one nodal allele. Our results demonstrate that Cerl-2 plays a key role in restricting the Nodal signaling pathway toward the left side of the mouse embryo by preventing its activity in the right side.
Marques
Sara
S
Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal.
Borges
Ana Cristina
AC
Silva
Ana Cristina
AC
Freitas
Sandra
S
Cordenonsi
Michelangelo
M
Belo
José António
JA
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D019521:Body Patterning / Q000502:physiology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D055457:Nodal Protein; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
D017931:DNA Primers; D055457:Nodal Protein; C526008:Nodal protein, mouse; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta