title: Msx2 alters the timing of retinal ganglion cells fate commitment and differentiation.
abstract: Timing of cell fate commitment determines distinct retinal cell types, which is believed to be controlled by a tightly coordinated regulatory program of proliferation, cell cycle exit and differentiation. Although homeobox protein Msx2 could induce apoptosis of optic vesicle, it is unclear whether Msx2 regulates differentiation and cell fate commitment of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) to retinal ganglion cells (RGCs). In this study, we show that overexpression of Msx2 transiently suppressed the expression of Cyclin D1 and blocked cell proliferation. Meanwhile, overexpression of Msx2 delayed the expression of RGC-specific differentiation markers (Math5 and Brn3b), which showed that Msx2 could affect the timing of RGCs fate commitment and differentiation by delaying the timing of cell cycle exit of retinal progenitors. These results indicate Msx2 possesses dual regulatory functions in controlling cell cycle progression of retinal RPCs and timing of RGCs differentiation.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, Tianjin Medical University, 12 Qi Xiang Tai Street, Tianjin 300070, China.
authors.forename: Shao-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Jian-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D019938:Cyclin D1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000166:cytology*
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C084119:MSX2 protein; D019938:Cyclin D1