Mash1 specifies neurons and oligodendrocytes in the postnatal brain.
Progenitors in the telencephalic subventricular zone (SVZ) remain mitotically active throughout life, and produce different cell types at embryonic, postnatal and adult stages. Here we show that Mash1, an important proneural gene in the embryonic telencephalon, is broadly expressed in the postnatal SVZ, in progenitors for both neuronal and oligodendrocyte lineages. Moreover, Mash1 is required at birth for the generation of a large fraction of neuronal and oligodendrocyte precursors from the olfactory bulb. Clonal analysis in culture and transplantation experiments in postnatal brain demonstrate that this phenotype reflects a cell-autonomous function of Mash1 in specification of these two lineages. The conservation of Mash1 function in the postnatal SVZ suggests that the same transcription mechanisms operate throughout life to specify cell fates in this structure, and that the profound changes in the cell types produced reflect changes in the signalling environment of the SVZ.
Parras
Carlos M
CM
Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Illkirch, France.
Galli
Rossella
R
Britz
Olivier
O
Soares
Sylvia
S
Galichet
Christophe
C
Battiste
James
J
Johnson
Jane E
JE
Nakafuku
Masato
M
Vescovi
Angelo
A
Guillemot
François
F
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D016380:Brain Tissue Transplantation; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006579:Heterozygote; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007763:Lac Operon; D051379:Mice; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D009154:Mutation; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000166:cytology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology*; D009830:Olfactory Bulb / Q000166:cytology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology / Q000637:transplantation; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D016042:Transplantation, Heterotopic
D051792:Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Proteins; D001973:Bromodeoxyuridine; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; C499317:Ascl1 protein, mouse