title: Identification of differentially expressed genes in the zebrafish hypothalamic-pituitary axis.
abstract: The vertebrate hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HP) is the main link between the central nervous system and endocrine system. Although several signal pathways and regulatory genes have been implicated in adenohypophysis ontogenesis, little is known about hypothalamic-neurohypophysial development or when the HP matures and becomes functional. To identify markers of the HP, we constructed subtractive cDNA libraries between adult zebrafish hypothalamus and pituitary. We identified previously published genes, ESTs and novel zebrafish genes, some of which were predicted by genomic database analysis. We also analyzed expression patterns of these genes and found that several are expressed in the embryonic and larval hypothalamus, neurohypophysis, and/or adenohypophysis. Expression at these stages makes these genes useful markers to study HP maturation and function.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, 1254 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toro
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wegner
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Monte
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Westerfield
authors.forename: Zoltan M
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Varga
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D015723:Gene Library; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D015027:Zebrafish / Q000196:embryology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D029961:Zebrafish Proteins