Distinct regulators control the expression of the mid-hindbrain organizer signal FGF8

• DOI: 10.1038/nn761
• Publication Date: 2002-07-26T08:32:48Z
• Authors: Weilan Ye; Maxime Bouchard; Donna Stone; Xiaodong Liu; Francis Vella; James Lee; Harukazu Nakamura; Siew-Lan Ang; Meinrad Busslinger; Arnon Rosenthal
• Keywords: Embryonic Induction; Homeodomain Proteins; Mice, Knockout; Neurons; 0301 basic medicine; Otx Transcription Factors; Fibroblast Growth Factor 8; PAX2 Transcription Factor; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; Nuclear Proteins; Cell Differentiation; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Chick Embryo; DNA-Binding Proteins; Fibroblast Growth Factors; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Fetus; Mesencephalon; Animals; Neuroglia; Body Patterning

Local expression of FGF8 at the mid/hindbrain boundary (MHB) governs the development of multiple neurons and support cells. Here we show that the paired-domain protein Pax2 is necessary and sufficient for the induction of FGF8 in part by regulating the expression of Pax5&8. A network of transcription and secreted factors, including En1, Otx2, Gbx2, Grg4 and Wnt1&4, that is established independently of Pax2, further refines the expression domain and level of FGF8 at the MHB through opposing effects on Pax2 activity. Our results indicate that the expression of local organizing factors is controlled by combinatorial interaction between inductive and modulatory factors.