title: Region- and cell type-selective expression of the evolutionarily conserved Nolz-1/zfp503 gene in the developing mouse hindbrain.
abstract: Nolz-1/Zfp503, a zinc finger-containing gene, is a mammalian member of the SP1-related nocA/elb/tlp-1 gene family. Previous studies have shown that Nolz-1 homologs are important for patterning the rhombomeres in zebrafish hindbrain. We therefore studied the expression pattern of Nolz-1 in the developing mouse hindbrain. Nolz-1 mRNA expression was detected in the prospective rhombomere 3, 5 and caudal regions as early as E8.75. After E11.5, Nolz-1-positive cells were organized as distinct cell clusters, and they were largely non-overlapped with either Pax2-positive or Phox2b-positive domains. Most interestingly, we found that Nolz-1 was specifically expressed by Phox2b-negative/Isl1/2-positive somatic motor neurons, but not by Phox2b-positive/Isl1/2-positive branchial and visceral motor neurons, suggesting that Nolz-1 may regulate development of somatic motor neurons in the hindbrain. In addition to be expressed in differentiating post-mitotic neurons, Nolz-1 was also expressed by progenitor cells in the ventricular zone located in the dorsal part of aqueduct and the alar plates of hindbrain, which suggests a regulatory role of Nolz-1 in the germinal zone. Taken together, based on its domain- and cell type-selective pattern, Nolz-1 may involve in regulation of various developmental processes, including regional patterning and cell-type specification and differentiation in the developing mouse hindbrain.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroscience, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Sunny Li-Yun
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yu-Ting
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Yan-Ling
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Ya-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Fu-Chin
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000502:physiology; D051762:PAX2 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012249:Rhombencephalon / Q000166:cytology / Q000196:embryology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C109220:NBPhox protein; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D051762:PAX2 Transcription Factor; C497319:Pax2 protein, mouse; D014157:Transcription Factors; C483194:Zfp503 protein, mouse