title: Numerous isoforms of Fgf8 reflect its multiple roles in the developing brain.
abstract: Soluble growth factors play an important role in the coordination and integration of cell proliferation, differentiation, fate determination, and morphogenesis during development of multicellular organisms. Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are a large family of polypeptide growth factors that are present in organisms ranging from nematodes to humans. RNA alternative splicing of FGFs and their receptors further enhances the complexity of this ligand-receptor system. The mouse Fgf8 gene produces eight splice variants, which encode isoform proteins with different N-termini and distinct receptor-binding affinity and biological activity. In this article, we review the roles of Fgf8 in vertebrate development and summarize the recent findings on the in vivo function of different Fgf8 splice variants. We propose that multiple Fgf8 isoform proteins act in concert to regulate the overall function of Fgf8 and account for the diverse and essential role of Fgf8 during vertebrate development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut 06030-6403, USA.
authors.forename: N Abimbola
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Sunmonu
authors.forename: Kairong
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: James Y H
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000196:embryology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D051524:Fibroblast Growth Factor 8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009024:Morphogenesis; D011485:Protein Binding; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C496456:FGF8 protein, human; C496457:Fgf8 protein, mouse; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; C517774:fgf8a protein, zebrafish; D051524:Fibroblast Growth Factor 8; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors