title: Bmp2 is required for cephalic neural tube closure in the mouse.
abstract: BMPs have been shown to play a role in neural tube development particularly as dorsalizing factors. To explore the possibility that BMP2 could play a role in the developing neural tube (NT) beyond the lethality of Bmp2 null embryos, we created Bmp2 chimeras from Bmp2 null ES cells and WT blastocysts. Analysis of Bmp2 chimeras reveals NT defects at day 9.5 (E9.5). We found that exclusion of Bmp2 null ES cells from the dorsal NT did not always prevent defects. For further comparison, we used a Bmp2 mutant line in a mixed background. Phenotypes observed were similar to chimeras including open NT defects, postneurulation defects, and abnormal neural ectoderm in heterozygous and homozygous null embryos demonstrating a pattern of dose-dependent signaling. Our data exposes BMP2 as a unique player in the developing NT for dorsal patterning and identity, and normal cephalic neural tube closure in a dose-dependent manner.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina 27709, USA. castran1@niehs.nih.gov
authors.forename: Trisha
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Castranio
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mishina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000378:metabolism; D019521:Body Patterning; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002678:Chimera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014050:Toluene / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D000072041:PAX3 Transcription Factor; D051761:Paired Box Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C068686:Pax3 protein, mouse; D014050:Toluene; C121565:pifithrin