title: Formation of the Embryonic Head in the Mouse: Attributes of a Gene Regulatory Network.
abstract: The embryonic head is the first major body part to be constructed during embryogenesis. The allocation and the assembly of the progenitor tissues, which start at gastrulation, are accompanied by the spatiotemporal activity of transcription factors and signaling pathways that drives lineage specification, germ layer formation, and cell/tissue movement. The morphogenesis, regionalization, and patterning of the brain and craniofacial structures rely on the function of LIM-domain, homeodomain, and basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors. These factors constitute the central nodes of a gene regulatory network (GRN) which encompasses and intersects with signaling pathways involved with head formation. It is predicted that the functional output of this "head GRN" impacts on cellular function and cell-cell interactions that are essential for lineage differentiation and tissue modeling, which are key processes underpinning the formation of the head.
authors.affiliation: Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: ptam@cmri.org.au.
authors.forename: Patrick P L
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fossat
authors.affiliation: Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Bioinformatics Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wilkie
authors.affiliation: Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: David A F
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Loebel
authors.affiliation: Embryology Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia; Discipline of Medicine, Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Chi Kin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Ip
authors.affiliation: Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia; Systems Biology Institute Australia, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Mirana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramialison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*; D019070:Cell Lineage / Q000235:genetics*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D053263:Gene Regulatory Networks; D006257:Head / Q000196:embryology*; D051379:Mice
keywords: Gene regulatory network; Head formation; Lhx1; Twist1; WNT signaling