The homeobox gene Pitx2: mediator of asymmetric left-right signaling in vertebrate heart and gut looping

• DOI: 10.1242/dev.126.6.1225
• Publication Date: 2021-04-26T03:58:07Z
• Authors: Marina Campione; Herbert Steinbeisser; Axel Schweickert; Kirsten Deissler; Frauke van Bebber; Linda A. Lowe; Sonja Nowotschin; Christoph Viebahn; Pascal Haffter; Michael R. Kuehn; Martin Blum
• Keywords: PITX2; Lateral plate mesoderm; Ectopic expression; Heart development; DLX5; POU domain

ABSTRACT Left-right asymmetry in vertebrates is controlled by activities emanating from the left lateral plate. How these signals get transmitted to forming organs not known. A candidate mediator mouse, frog and zebrafish embryos homeobox gene Pitx2. It asymmetrically expressed plate mesoderm, tubular heart early gut tube. Localized Pitx2 expression continues when undergo asymmetric looping morphogenesis. Ectopic of Xnr1 right induces transcription Xenopus. Misexpression affects situs morphology organs. These experiments suggest a role for promoting linear gut.