PUBLICATION

Examination of a palatogenic gene program in zebrafish

Authors
Swartz, M.E., Sheehan-Rooney, K., Dixon, M.J., and Eberhart, J.K.
ID
ZDB-PUB-111027-51
Date
2011
Source
Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists   240(9): 2204-2220 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Eberhart, Johann, Sheehan-Rooney, Kelly, Swartz, Mary
Keywords
cranial neural crest cells, palatal skeleton, zebrafish, anterior neurocranium, gene regulatory network, fate mapping
MeSH Terms
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Smad5 Protein/genetics
  • Smad5 Protein/metabolism
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 10/genetics
  • Fibroblast Growth Factor 10/metabolism
  • Palate/embryology*
  • Palate/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish Proteins/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins/metabolism*
  • Animals
  • In Situ Hybridization
  • Zebrafish
  • PAX9 Transcription Factor/genetics
  • PAX9 Transcription Factor/metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2/genetics
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2/metabolism
  • Transcription Factors/genetics
  • Transcription Factors/metabolism
PubMed
22016187 Full text @ Dev. Dyn.
Abstract

Human palatal clefting is debilitating and difficult to rectify surgically. Animal models enhance our understanding of palatogenesis and are essential in strategies designed to ameliorate palatal malformations in humans. Recent studies have shown that the zebrafish palate, or anterior neurocranium, is under similar genetic control to the amniote palatal skeleton. We extensively analyzed palatogenesis in zebrafish to determine the similarity of gene expression and function across vertebrates. By 36 hours postfertilization (hpf) palatogenic cranial neural crest cells reside in homologous regions of the developing face compared with amniote species. Transcription factors and signaling molecules regulating mouse palatogenesis are expressed in similar domains during palatogenesis in zebrafish. Functional investigation of a subset of these genes, fgf10a, tgfb2, pax9, and smad5 revealed their necessity in zebrafish palatogenesis. Collectively, these results suggest that the gene regulatory networks regulating palatogenesis may be conserved across vertebrate species, demonstrating the utility of zebrafish as a model for palatogenesis.

Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping