title: Tissue specific characterisation of Lim-kinase 1 expression during mouse embryogenesis.
abstract: The Lim-kinase (LIMK) proteins are important for the regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, in particular the control of actin nucleation and depolymerisation via regulation of cofilin, and hence may control a large number of processes during development, including cell tensegrity, migration, cell cycling, and axon guidance. LIMK1/LIMK2 knockouts disrupt spinal cord morphogenesis and synapse formation but other tissues and developmental processes that require LIMK are yet to be fully determined. To identify tissues and cell-types that may require LIMK, we characterised the pattern of LIMK1 protein during mouse embryogenesis. We showed that LIMK1 displays an expression pattern that is temporally dynamic and tissue-specific. In several tissues LIMK1 is detected in cell-types that also express Wilms' tumour protein 1 and that undergo transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal states, including the pleura, epicardium, kidney nephrons, and gonads. LIMK1 was also found in a subset of cells in the dorsal retina, and in mesenchymal cells surrounding the peripheral nerves. This detailed study of the spatial and temporal expression of LIMK1 shows that LIMK1 expression is more dynamic than previously reported, in particular at sites of tissue-tissue interactions guiding multiple developmental processes.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Sciences, Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, UK. n.lindstrom@abdn.ac.uk
authors.forename: Nils O
authors.initials: NO
authors.lastname: Lindström
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Neves
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: McIntosh
authors.forename: Zosia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Miedzybrodzka
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vargesson
authors.forename: J Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Collinson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000201:enzymology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004707:Endoderm / Q000201:enzymology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D004848:Epithelium / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D005123:Eye / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006321:Heart / Q000196:embryology; D007668:Kidney / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D054461:Lim Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000201:enzymology; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D009928:Organ Specificity
chemical_list: D054461:Lim Kinases; C515893:Limk1 protein, mouse