title: NEPRO: a novel Notch effector for maintenance of neural progenitor cells in the neocortex.
abstract: The Notch pathway is essential for maintaining neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the developing brain. Activation of the pathway is sufficient to maintain NPCs, whereas loss-of-function mutations in the critical components of the pathway cause precocious neuronal differentiation and NPC depletion. Hairy and Enhancer of split (Hes)-type transcription factors have long been thought to be the only Notch effectors for the maintenance of NPCs. Recently, a novel nuclear protein, Nepro, has been identified as another critical effector of Notch. The Notch pathway is bifurcated into Nepro and Hes-type proteins in the early development of the neocortex. The combination of Nepro and Hes-type proteins is necessary and sufficient for maintaining NPCs downstream of Notch.
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan, tesaito@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
authors.forename: Tetsuichiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D019579:Neocortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D055495:Neurogenesis; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism*; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C545717:Nepro protein, mouse; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D012097:Repressor Proteins