Mice lacking IGF-I and LIF have motoneuron deficits in brain stem nuclei.
We analyzed the neural embryonic phenotype of single and double-mutant mice for insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The anatomical structure of the hippocampus, the cerebellum, and the olfactory epithelium, regions showing expression of both factors and their receptors, appeared largely normal in all mutant mice. In the fimbria and the spinal cord, similar patterns of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-expressing astrocytes were found in wild-type and mutant mice. In contrast, single Igf-I and double-mutant mice showed a significant reduction in the number of trigeminal and facial motoneurons, whereas mice lacking LIF showed a significant reduction of trigeminal motoneurons. These results suggest that IGF-I and LIF regulate cooperatively motoneuron numbers in specific brain stem nuclei.
Vicario-Abejón
Carlos
C
Group of Growth Factors in Vertebrate Development, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, E-28040 Madrid, Spain.
Fernández-Moreno
Carmen
C
Pichel
José G
JG
de Pablo
Flora
F
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D064032:Calbindin 2; D002452:Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000235:genetics; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / Q000378:metabolism
D064032:Calbindin 2; D005904:Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein; D015850:Interleukin-6; D053605:Leukemia Inhibitory Factor; C507838:Lif protein, mouse; D011506:Proteins; D064030:S100 Calcium Binding Protein G; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I