title: Regionalization of the anterior hypothalamus in the chick embryo.
abstract: Loss-of-function experiments in mice have shown that the transcription factors Sim1, Otp, Sim2, and Brn2 form a cascade essential for the differentiation of neuroendocrine cells of the anterior hypothalamus that produce vasopressin, oxytocin, somatostatin (SS), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH). Very little is known about how the differentiation of these cell types is regulated in chick. Here, we report the cloning of the chick homolog of Otp. Moreover, we have systematically compared the expression of Sim1, Sim2, Brn2, and Otp with that of the markers of terminal differentiation TRH, SS, CRH, vasotocin, and mesotocin during development of chick embryos. We have found that the cell types studied generally develop in domains expressing these transcriptional regulators but that the pattern of neuronal differentiation and the spatial distribution of some regulators were not the same as in mice. Our results provide a framework useful for the functional analysis of hypothalamus development in chick.
authors.affiliation: Research Center, Hôpital Sainte-Justine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caqueret
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Coumailleau
authors.forename: Jacques L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Michaud
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D002642:Chick Embryo; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007032:Hypothalamus, Anterior / Q000166:cytology* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors