Identification of differentially expressed genes in the developing antler of red deer Cervus elaphus.
Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying bone development is a fundamental and fascinating problem in developmental biology, with significant medical implications. Here, we have identified the expression patterns for 36 genes that were characteristic or dominant in the consecutive cell differentiation zones (mesenchyme, precartilage, cartilage) of the tip section of the developing velvet antler of red deer Cervus elaphus. Two major functional groups of these genes clearly outlined: six genes linked to high metabolic demand and other five to tumor biology. Our study demonstrates the advantages of the antler as a source of mesenchymal markers, for distinguishing precartilage and cartilage by different gene expression patterns and for identifying genes involved in the robust bone development, a striking feature of the growing antler. Putative roles for "antler" genes that encode alpha-tropomyosine (tpm1), transgelin (tagln), annexin 2 (anxa2), phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (pebp) and apolipoprotein D (apoD) in intense but still controlled tissue proliferation are discussed.
Molnár
Andrea
A
Institute of Genetics, Agricultural Biotechnology Center, Szent-Györgyi A. u. 4., 2100, Gödöllo, Hungary.
Gyurján
István
I
Korpos
Eva
E
Borsy
Adrienn
A
Stéger
Viktor
V
Buzás
Zsuzsanna
Z
Kiss
Ibolya
I
Zomborszky
Zoltán
Z
Papp
Péter
P
Deák
Ferenc
F
Orosz
László
L
D000818:Animals; D017302:Annexins / Q000378:metabolism; D000999:Antlers / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001483:Base Sequence; D020219:Chondrogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D003670:Deer / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; D013045:Species Specificity
D017302:Annexins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger