title: Engrailed homeoproteins in visual system development.
abstract: Engrailed is a homeoprotein transcription factor. This family of transcription factors is characterized by their DNA-binding homeodomain and some members, including Engrailed, can transfer between cells and regulate protein translation in addition to gene transcription. Engrailed is intimately involved in the development of the vertebrate visual system. Early expression of Engrailed in dorsal mesencephalon contributes to the development and organization of a visual structure, the optic tectum/superior colliculus. This structure is an important target for retinal ganglion cell axons that carry visual information from the retina. Engrailed regulates the expression of Ephrin axon guidance cues in the tectum/superior colliculus. More recently it has been reported that Engrailed itself acts as an axon guidance cue in synergy with the Ephrin system and is proposed to enhance retinal topographic precision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Institute of Clinical Anatomy and Cell Analysis, University of Tübingen, Österbergstrasse 3, 72074, Tübingen, Germany, andrea.wizenmann@uni-tuebingen.de.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wizenmann
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stettler
authors.forename: Kenneth L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Moya
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D012160:Retina / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate