title: Pitx1 expression in developing and regenerating axolotl limbs.
abstract: The expression of the homeobox transcription factor Pitx1 was investigated in the Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) during limb development and regeneration by whole-mount mRNA in situ hybridizations. This clone shares high amino acid identity with Pitx1 from other vertebrates (92% Xenopus; 87% chick; 75% human and mouse) within the region isolated. In the developing limbs, Pitx1 was expressed in hindlimb mesenchyme, as has been reported in other species. The expression pattern in the hindlimb might have been conserved during evolution. In the regenerating limbs, Pitx1 was expressed in both fore- and hindlimb blastemas. Our observations suggest two roles of Pitx1 in the axolotl: one is to determine the hindlimb pattern during development, and the other that relates to proliferation of regenerating tissues without regard to fore- or hindlimb.
authors.affiliation: Division of Anatomy II, Kanazawa Medical University, Uchinada-machi, Kahoku-gun, 920-0293 Japan. simoort1@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimokawa
authors.forename: Satoru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yasutaka
authors.forename: Rieko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kominami
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Harumichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shinohara
mesh_terms: D000558:Ambystoma mexicanum / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009024:Morphogenesis; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D012038:Regeneration; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; C101485:homeobox protein PITX1