1. An Fgf-Shh signaling hierarchy regulates early specification of the zebrafish skull.
- Author
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McCarthy N, Sidik A, Bertrand JY, and Eberhart JK
- Subjects
- Animals, Cell Differentiation, Fibroblast Growth Factor 3 deficiency, Fibroblast Growth Factor 3 genetics, Fibroblast Growth Factors deficiency, Fibroblast Growth Factors genetics, Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental, Glucuronosyltransferase genetics, Hedgehog Proteins genetics, Hyaluronan Synthases, Mesoderm embryology, Mesoderm metabolism, Skull metabolism, Zebrafish genetics, Zebrafish Proteins deficiency, Zebrafish Proteins genetics, Fibroblast Growth Factor 3 physiology, Fibroblast Growth Factors physiology, Glucuronosyltransferase physiology, Hedgehog Proteins physiology, Signal Transduction, Skull embryology, Zebrafish embryology, Zebrafish Proteins physiology
- Abstract
The neurocranium generates most of the craniofacial skeleton and consists of prechordal and postchordal regions. Although development of the prechordal is well studied, little is known of the postchordal region. Here we characterize a signaling hierarchy necessary for postchordal neurocranial development involving Fibroblast growth factor (Fgf) signaling for early specification of mesodermally-derived progenitor cells. The expression of hyaluron synthetase 2 (has2) in the cephalic mesoderm requires Fgf signaling and Has2 function, in turn, is required for postchordal neurocranial development. While Hedgehog (Hh)-deficient embryos also lack a postchordal neurocranium, this appears primarily due to a later defect in chondrocyte differentiation. Inhibitor studies demonstrate that postchordal neurocranial development requires early Fgf and later Hh signaling. Collectively, our results provide a mechanistic understanding of early postchordal neurocranial development and demonstrate a hierarchy of signaling between Fgf and Hh in the development of this structure., (Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2016
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