Morphogens in motion: growth control of the neural tube.
The entire vertebrate nervous system develops from a simple epithelial sheet, the neural plate which, along development, acquires the large number and wide variety of neuronal cell types required for the construction of a functional mature nervous system. These include processes of growth and pattern formation of the neural tube that are achieved through complicated and tightly regulated genetic interactions. Pattern formation, particularly in the vertebrate central nervous system, is one of the best examples of a morphogen-type of function. Cell cycle progression, however, is generally accepted to be dependent on cell-intrinsic factors. Recent studies have demonstrated that proliferation of neural precursors is also somehow controlled by secreted signaling molecules, well-known by their role as morphogens, such as fibroblast growth factor (FGF), vertebrate orthologs of the Drosophila wingless (Wnt), hedgehog (Hh), and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) families, that in turn regulate the activity of factors controlling cell cycle progression. In this review we will summarize the experimental data that support the idea that classical morphogens can be reused to regulate proliferation of neural precursors.
Cayuso
Jordi
J
Instituto de Biología Molecular de Barcelona (CSIC), Parc Cientific de Barcelona, C/ Josep Samitier 1-5, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Martí
Elisa
E
D000818:Animals; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D009420:Nervous System / Q000196:embryology* / Q000254:growth & development; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000502:physiology; D051154:Wnt2 Protein
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051154:Wnt2 Protein; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors