Concise review: Pax6 transcription factor contributes to both embryonic and adult neurogenesis as a multifunctional regulator.
Pax6 is a highly conserved transcription factor among vertebrates and is important in various developmental processes in the central nervous system (CNS), including patterning of the neural tube, migration of neurons, and formation of neural circuits. In this review, we focus on the role of Pax6 in embryonic and postnatal neurogenesis, namely, production of new neurons from neural stem/progenitor cells, because Pax6 is intensely expressed in these cells from the initial stage of CNS development and in neurogenic niches (the subgranular zone of the hippocampal dentate gyrus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle) throughout life. Pax6 is a multifunctional player regulating proliferation and differentiation through the control of expression of different downstream molecules in a highly context-dependent manner.
Osumi
Noriko
N
Division of Developmental Neuroscience, Center for Translational and Advanced Animal Research, Tohoku University School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8575, Japan. osumi@mail.tains.tohoku.ac.jp
Shinohara
Hiroshi
H
Numayama-Tsuruta
Keiko
K
Maekawa
Motoko
M
D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D005136:Eye Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D005136:Eye Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D000071841:PAX6 Transcription Factor; C000605730:PAX6 protein, human; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; C000605732:Pax6 protein, mouse; C000605733:Pax6 protein, rat; D012097:Repressor Proteins