Cdx2 Gene Expression and Trophectoderm Lineage Specification in Mouse Embryos

Otx2 and Gbx2 are among the earliest genes expressed in the neuroectoderm, dividing it into anterior and posterior domains with a common border that marks the mid-hindbrain junction. Otx2 is required for development of the forebrain and midbrain, and Gbx2 for the anterior hindbrain. Furthermore, opposing interactions between Otx2 and Gbx2 play an important role in positioning the mid-hindbrain boundary, where an organizer forms that regulates midbrain and cerebellum development. We show that the expression domains of Otx2 and Gbx2 are initially established independently of each other at the early headfold stage, and then their expression rapidly becomes interdependent by the late headfold stage. As we demonstrate that the repression of Otx2 by retinoic acid is dependent on an induction of Gbx2 in the anterior brain, molecules other than retinoic acid must regulate the initial expression of Otx2 in vivo. In contrast to previous suggestions that an interaction between Otx2- and Gbx2-expressing cells may be essential for induction of mid-hindbrain organizer factors such as Fgf8, we find that Fgf8 and other essential mid-hindbrain genes are induced in a correct temporal manner in mouse embryos deficient for both Otx2 and Gbx2. However, expression of these genes is abnormally co-localized in a broad anterior region of the neuroectoderm. Finally, we find that by removing Otx2 function, development of rhombomere 3 is rescued in Gbx2–/– embryos, showing that Gbx2 plays a permissive, not instructive, role in rhombomere 3 development. Our results provide new insights into induction and maintenance of the mid-hindbrain genetic cascade by showing that a mid-hindbrain competence region is initially established independent of the division of the neuroectoderm into an anterior Otx2-positive domain and posterior Gbx2-positive domain. Furthermore, Otx2 and Gbx2 are required to suppress hindbrain and midbrain development, respectively, and thus allow establishment of the normal spatial domains of Fgf8 and other genes.

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Stage-specific gene expression in asynchronous tetraploid mouse embryos formed by fusion of blastomeres and fertilized eggs

Roux s Archives of Developmental Biology ◽

10.1007/bf02427880 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 202 (4) ◽

pp. 198-203

Author(s):

R. Eid ◽

U. Petzoldt

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Mouse Embryos ◽

Specific Gene ◽

Specific Gene Expression

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Regulation of gene expression in mouse embryos and teratocarcinoma cells

Cell Differentiation ◽

10.1016/0045-6039(87)90288-0 ◽

1987 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 104

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Regulation Of Gene Expression ◽

Mouse Embryos ◽

Teratocarcinoma Cells

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Wholemount in situ Hybridization for Spatial-temporal Visualization of Gene Expression in Early Post-implantation Mouse Embryos

BIO-PROTOCOL ◽

10.21769/bioprotoc.4229 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (22) ◽

Author(s):

Xianfa Yang ◽

Yingying Chen ◽

Lu Song ◽

Ting Zhang ◽

Naihe Jing

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

In Situ Hybridization ◽

Mouse Embryos ◽

Post Implantation

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PML Regulates the Epidermal Differentiation Complex and Skin Morphogenesis during Mouse Embryogenesis

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes11101130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 1130

Author(s):

Anna Połeć ◽

Alexander D. Rowe ◽

Pernille Blicher ◽

Rajikala Suganthan ◽

Magnar Bjørås ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Expression Patterns ◽

Growth Control ◽

Wild Type Mouse ◽

Global Gene Expression ◽

Mouse Embryos ◽

Epidermal Differentiation ◽

Envelope Gene ◽

Epidermal Differentiation Complex

The promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is an essential component of nuclear compartments called PML bodies. This protein participates in several cellular processes, including growth control, senescence, apoptosis, and differentiation. Previous studies have suggested that PML regulates gene expression at a subset of loci through a function in chromatin remodeling. Here we have studied global gene expression patterns in mouse embryonic skin derived from Pml depleted and wild type mouse embryos. Differential gene expression analysis at different developmental stages revealed a key role of PML in regulating genes involved in epidermal stratification. In particular, we observed dysregulation of the late cornified envelope gene cluster, which is a sub-region of the epidermal differentiation complex. In agreement with these data, PML body numbers are elevated in basal keratinocytes during embryogenesis, and we observed reduced epidermal thickness and defective hair follicle development in PML depleted mouse embryos.

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