1
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Draga M, Scaal M. Building a vertebra: Development of the amniote sclerotome. J Morphol 2024; 285:e21665. [PMID: 38100740 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
In embryonic development, the vertebral column arises from the sclerotomal compartment of the somites. The sclerotome is a mesenchymal cell mass which can be subdivided into several subpopulations specified by different regulatory mechanisms and giving rise to different parts of the vertebrae like vertebral body, vertebral arch, ribs, and vertebral joints. This review gives a short overview on the molecular and cellular basis of the formation of sclerotomal subdomains and the morphogenesis of their vertebral derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarethe Draga
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Center of Anatomy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Martin Scaal
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Center of Anatomy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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2
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Abstract
The segmented body plan of vertebrates is established during somitogenesis, a well-studied process in model organisms; however, the details of this process in humans remain largely unknown owing to ethical and technical limitations. Despite recent advances with pluripotent stem cell-based approaches1-5, models that robustly recapitulate human somitogenesis in both space and time remain scarce. Here we introduce a pluripotent stem cell-derived mesoderm-based 3D model of human segmentation and somitogenesis-which we termed 'axioloid'-that captures accurately the oscillatory dynamics of the segmentation clock and the morphological and molecular characteristics of sequential somite formation in vitro. Axioloids show proper rostrocaudal patterning of forming segments and robust anterior-posterior FGF-WNT signalling gradients and retinoic acid signalling components. We identify an unexpected critical role of retinoic acid signalling in the stabilization of forming segments, indicating distinct, but also synergistic effects of retinoic acid and extracellular matrix on the formation and epithelialization of somites. Comparative analysis demonstrates marked similarities of axioloids to the human embryo, further validated by the presence of a Hox code in axioloids. Finally, we demonstrate the utility of axioloids for studying the pathogenesis of human congenital spine diseases using induced pluripotent stem cells with mutations in HES7 and MESP2. Our results indicate that axioloids represent a promising platform for the study of axial development and disease in humans.
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3
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Limbach LE, Penick RL, Casseday RS, Hyland MA, Pontillo EA, Ayele AN, Pitts KM, Ackerman SD, Harty BL, Herbert AL, Monk KR, Petersen SC. Peripheral nerve development in zebrafish requires muscle patterning by tcf15/paraxis. Dev Biol 2022; 490:37-49. [PMID: 35820658 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
The vertebrate peripheral nervous system (PNS) is an intricate network that conveys sensory and motor information throughout the body. During development, extracellular cues direct the migration of axons and glia through peripheral tissues. Currently, the suite of molecules that govern PNS axon-glial patterning is incompletely understood. To elucidate factors that are critical for peripheral nerve development, we characterized the novel zebrafish mutant, stl159, that exhibits abnormalities in PNS patterning. In these mutants, motor and sensory nerves that develop adjacent to axial muscle fail to extend normally, and neuromasts in the posterior lateral line system, as well as neural crest-derived melanocytes, are incorrectly positioned. The stl159 genetic lesion lies in the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor tcf15, which has been previously implicated in proper development of axial muscles. We find that targeted loss of tcf15 via CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing results in the PNS patterning abnormalities observed in stl159 mutants. Because tcf15 is expressed in developing muscle prior to nerve extension, rather than in neurons or glia, we predict that tcf15 non-cell-autonomously promotes peripheral nerve patterning in zebrafish through regulation of extracellular patterning cues. Our work underscores the importance of muscle-derived factors in PNS development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rocky L Penick
- Department of Neuroscience, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, USA
| | - Rudy S Casseday
- Department of Neuroscience, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, USA
| | | | | | - Afomia N Ayele
- Department of Neuroscience, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, USA
| | | | - Sarah D Ackerman
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Breanne L Harty
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Amy L Herbert
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kelly R Monk
- Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sarah C Petersen
- Department of Neuroscience, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, USA; Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, OH, USA; Department of Developmental Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO, USA.
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4
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Della Gaspera B, Weill L, Chanoine C. Evolution of Somite Compartmentalization: A View From Xenopus. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:790847. [PMID: 35111756 PMCID: PMC8802780 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.790847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Somites are transitory metameric structures at the basis of the axial organization of vertebrate musculoskeletal system. During evolution, somites appear in the chordate phylum and compartmentalize mainly into the dermomyotome, the myotome, and the sclerotome in vertebrates. In this review, we summarized the existing literature about somite compartmentalization in Xenopus and compared it with other anamniote and amniote vertebrates. We also present and discuss a model that describes the evolutionary history of somite compartmentalization from ancestral chordates to amniote vertebrates. We propose that the ancestral organization of chordate somite, subdivided into a lateral compartment of multipotent somitic cells (MSCs) and a medial primitive myotome, evolves through two major transitions. From ancestral chordates to vertebrates, the cell potency of MSCs may have evolved and gave rise to all new vertebrate compartments, i.e., the dermomyome, its hypaxial region, and the sclerotome. From anamniote to amniote vertebrates, the lateral MSC territory may expand to the whole somite at the expense of primitive myotome and may probably facilitate sclerotome formation. We propose that successive modifications of the cell potency of some type of embryonic progenitors could be one of major processes of the vertebrate evolution.
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5
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Homodimeric and Heterodimeric Interactions among Vertebrate Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312855. [PMID: 34884664 PMCID: PMC8657788 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor (bHLH TF) family is involved in tissue development, cell differentiation, and disease. These factors have transcriptionally positive, negative, and inactive functions by combining dimeric interactions among family members. The best known bHLH TFs are the E-protein homodimers and heterodimers with the tissue-specific TFs or ID proteins. These cooperative and dynamic interactions result in a complex transcriptional network that helps define the cell’s fate. Here, the reported dimeric interactions of 67 vertebrate bHLH TFs with other family members are summarized in tables, including specifications of the experimental techniques that defined the dimers. The compilation of these extensive data underscores homodimers of tissue-specific bHLH TFs as a central part of the bHLH regulatory network, with relevant positive and negative transcriptional regulatory roles. Furthermore, some sequence-specific TFs can also form transcriptionally inactive heterodimers with each other. The function, classification, and developmental role for all vertebrate bHLH TFs in four major classes are detailed.
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6
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Werner P, Latney B, Deardorff MA, Goldmuntz E. MESP1 Mutations in Patients with Congenital Heart Defects. Hum Mutat 2016; 37:308-14. [PMID: 26694203 DOI: 10.1002/humu.22947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the genetic etiology of congenital heart disease (CHD) has been challenging despite being one of the most common congenital malformations in humans. We previously identified a microdeletion in a patient with a ventricular septal defect containing over 40 genes including MESP1 (mesoderm posterior basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor 1). Because of the importance of MESP1 as an early regulator of cardiac development in both in vivo and in vitro studies, we tested for MESP1 mutations in 647 patients with congenital conotruncal and related heart defects. We identified six rare, nonsynonymous variants not seen in ethnically matched controls and one likely race-specific nonsynonymous variant. Functional analyses revealed that three of these variants altered activation of transcription by MESP1. Two of the deleterious variants are located within the conserved HLH domain and thus impair the protein-protein interaction of MESP1 and E47. The third deleterious variant was a loss-of-function frameshift mutation. Our results suggest that pathologic variants in MESP1 may contribute to the development of CHD and that additional protein partners and downstream targets could likewise contribute to the wide range of causes for CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Werner
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
| | - Brande Latney
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
| | - Matthew A Deardorff
- Division of Genetics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
| | - Elizabeth Goldmuntz
- Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
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Sánchez RS, Sánchez SS. Paraxis is required for somite morphogenesis and differentiation in Xenopus laevis. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:973-87. [PMID: 26010523 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2014] [Revised: 05/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In most vertebrates, the segmentation of the paraxial mesoderm involves the formation of metameric units called somites through a mesenchymal-epithelial transition. However, this process is different in Xenopus laevis because it does not form an epithelial somite. Xenopus somitogenesis is characterized by a complex cells rearrangement that requires the coordinated regulation of cell shape, adhesion, and motility. The molecular mechanisms that control these cell behaviors underlying somite formation are little known. Although the Paraxis has been implicated in the epithelialization of somite in chick and mouse, its role in Xenopus somite morphogenesis has not been determined. RESULTS Using a morpholino and hormone-inducible construction approaches, we showed that both gain and loss of function of paraxis affect somite elongation, rotation and alignment, causing a severe disorganization of somitic tissue. We further found that depletion or overexpression of paraxis in the somite led to the downregulation or upregulation, respectively, of cell adhesion expression markers. Finally, we demonstrated that paraxis is necessary for the proper expression of myotomal and sclerotomal differentiation markers. CONCLUSIONS Our results demonstrate that paraxis regulates the cell rearrangements that take place during the somitogenesis of Xenopus by regulating cell adhesion. Furthermore, paraxis is also required for somite differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romel Sebastián Sánchez
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán (T4000ILI), Argentina
| | - Sara Serafina Sánchez
- Instituto Superior de Investigaciones Biológicas (INSIBIO), CONICET-UNT, and Instituto de Biología "Dr. Francisco D. Barbieri", Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Chacabuco 461, San Miguel de Tucumán (T4000ILI), Argentina
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8
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Hutchins ED, Markov GJ, Eckalbar WL, George RM, King JM, Tokuyama MA, Geiger LA, Emmert N, Ammar MJ, Allen AN, Siniard AL, Corneveaux JJ, Fisher RE, Wade J, DeNardo DF, Rawls JA, Huentelman MJ, Wilson-Rawls J, Kusumi K. Transcriptomic analysis of tail regeneration in the lizard Anolis carolinensis reveals activation of conserved vertebrate developmental and repair mechanisms. PLoS One 2014; 9:e105004. [PMID: 25140675 PMCID: PMC4139331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0105004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Lizards, which are amniote vertebrates like humans, are able to lose and regenerate a functional tail. Understanding the molecular basis of this process would advance regenerative approaches in amniotes, including humans. We have carried out the first transcriptomic analysis of tail regeneration in a lizard, the green anole Anolis carolinensis, which revealed 326 differentially expressed genes activating multiple developmental and repair mechanisms. Specifically, genes involved in wound response, hormonal regulation, musculoskeletal development, and the Wnt and MAPK/FGF pathways were differentially expressed along the regenerating tail axis. Furthermore, we identified 2 microRNA precursor families, 22 unclassified non-coding RNAs, and 3 novel protein-coding genes significantly enriched in the regenerating tail. However, high levels of progenitor/stem cell markers were not observed in any region of the regenerating tail. Furthermore, we observed multiple tissue-type specific clusters of proliferating cells along the regenerating tail, not localized to the tail tip. These findings predict a different mechanism of regeneration in the lizard than the blastema model described in the salamander and the zebrafish, which are anamniote vertebrates. Thus, lizard tail regrowth involves the activation of conserved developmental and wound response pathways, which are potential targets for regenerative medical therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth D. Hutchins
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Glenn J. Markov
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Walter L. Eckalbar
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Rajani M. George
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jesse M. King
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Minami A. Tokuyama
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Lauren A. Geiger
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Nataliya Emmert
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Michael J. Ammar
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - April N. Allen
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Ashley L. Siniard
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jason J. Corneveaux
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Rebecca E. Fisher
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Juli Wade
- Departments of Psychology and Zoology, Program in Neuroscience, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Dale F. DeNardo
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - J. Alan Rawls
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Matthew J. Huentelman
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Jeanne Wilson-Rawls
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Kenro Kusumi
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, United States of America
- Neurogenomics Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix, Phoenix, Arizona, United States of America
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9
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Takahashi Y, Yasuhiko Y, Takahashi J, Takada S, Johnson RL, Saga Y, Kanno J. Metameric pattern of intervertebral disc/vertebral body is generated independently of Mesp2/Ripply-mediated rostro-caudal patterning of somites in the mouse embryo. Dev Biol 2013; 380:172-84. [PMID: 23727513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2013.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2012] [Revised: 05/17/2013] [Accepted: 05/17/2013] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The vertebrae are derived from the sclerotome of somites. Formation of the vertebral body involves a process called resegmentation, by which the caudal half of a sclerotome is combined with the rostral half of the next sclerotome. To elucidate the relationship between resegmentation and rostro-caudal patterning of somite, we used the Uncx4.1-LacZ transgene to characterize the resegmentation process. Our observations suggested that in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae, the Uncx4.1-expressing caudal sclerotome gave rise to the intervertebral disc (IVD) and rostral portion of the vertebral body (VB). In the cervical vertebrae, the Uncx4.1-expressing caudal sclerotome appeared to contribute to the IVD and both caudal and rostral ends of the VB. This finding suggests that the rostro-caudal gene expression boundary does not necessarily coincide with the resegmentation boundary. This conclusion was supported by analyses of Mesp2 KO and Ripply1/2 double KO embryos lacking rostral and caudal properties, respectively. Resegmentation was not observed in Mesp2 KO embryos, but both the IVD and whole VB were formed from the caudalized sclerotome. Expression analysis of IVD marker genes including Pax1 in the wild-type, Mesp2 KO, and Ripply1/2 DKO embryos also supported the idea that a metameric pattern of IVD/VB is generated independently of Mesp2/Ripply-mediated rostro-caudal patterning of somite. However, in the lumbar region, IVD differentiation appeared to be stimulated by the caudal property and suppressed by the rostral property. Therefore, we propose that rostro-caudal patterning of somites is not a prerequisite for metameric patterning of the IVD and VB, but instead required to stimulate IVD differentiation in the caudal half of the sclerotome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Takahashi
- Cellular & Molecular Toxicology Division, National Institute of Health Sciences, 1-18-1 Kamiyoga, Setagayaku, Tokyo 158-8501, Japan.
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10
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Lopez TP, Fan CM. Dynamic CREB family activity drives segmentation and posterior polarity specification in mammalian somitogenesis. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2013; 110:E2019-27. [PMID: 23671110 PMCID: PMC3670316 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1222115110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The segmented body plan of vertebrates is prefigured by reiterated embryonic mesodermal structures called somites. In the mouse embryo, timely somite formation from the presomitic mesoderm (PSM) is controlled by the "segmentation clock," a molecular oscillator that triggers progressive waves of Notch activity throughout the PSM. Notch clock activity is suppressed in the posterior PSM by FGF signaling until it crosses a determination front at which its net activity is sufficiently high to effect segmentation. Here, Notch and Wnt signaling directs somite anterior/posterior (A/P) polarity specification and boundary formation via regulation of the segmentation effector gene Mesoderm posterior 2. How Notch and Wnt signaling becomes coordinated at this front is incompletely defined. Here we show that the activity of the cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB) family of transcription factors exhibits Wnt3a-dependent oscillatory behavior near the determination front and is in unison with Notch activity. Inhibition of CREB family in the mesoderm causes defects in somite segmentation and a loss in somite posterior polarity leading to fusions of vertebrae and ribs. Among the CREB family downstream genes, several are known to be regulated by Wnt3a. Of those, we show that the CREB family occupies a conserved binding site in the promoter region of Delta-like 1, encoding a Notch ligand, in the anterior PSM as a mechanism to specify posterior identity of somites. Together, these data support that the CREB family acts at the determination front to modulate Wnt signaling and strengthen Notch signaling as a means to orchestrate cells for somite segmentation and anterior/posterior patterning.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Peter Lopez
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218; and
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD 21218
| | - Chen-Ming Fan
- Department of Biology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218; and
- Department of Embryology, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Baltimore, MD 21218
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11
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Makino Y, Takahashi Y, Tanabe R, Tamamura Y, Watanabe T, Haraikawa M, Hamagaki M, Hata K, Kanno J, Yoneda T, Saga Y, Goseki-Sone M, Kaneko K, Yamaguchi A, Iimura T. Spatiotemporal disorder in the axial skeleton development of the Mesp2-null mouse: a model of spondylocostal dysostosis and spondylothoracic dysostosis. Bone 2013; 53:248-58. [PMID: 23238123 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2012.11.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2012] [Revised: 11/01/2012] [Accepted: 11/19/2012] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Spondylocostal dysostosis (SCDO) is a genetic disorder characterized by severe malformation of the axial skeleton. Mesp2 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix type transcription factor that is required for somite formation. Its human homologue, Mesp2, is a gene affected in patients with SCDO and a related vertebral disorder, spondylothoracic dysostosis (STDO). This work investigated how the loss of Mesp2 affects axial skeleton development and causes the clinical features of SCDO and STDO. We first confirmed, by three-dimensional computed tomography scanning, that Mesp2-null mice exhibited mineralized tissue patterning resembling the radiological features of SCDO and STDO. Histological observations and in situ hybridization probing for extracellular matrix molecules demonstrated that the developing vertebral bodies in Mesp2-null mice were extensively fused with rare insertions of intervertebral tissue. Unexpectedly, the intervertebral tissues were mostly fused longitudinally in the vertebral column, instead of exhibiting extended formation, as was expected based on the caudalized properties of Mesp2-null somite derivatives. Furthermore, the differentiation of vertebral body chondrocytes in Mesp2-null mice was spatially disordered and largely delayed, with an increased cell proliferation rate. The quantitative three-dimensional immunofluorescence image analyses of phospho-Smad2 and -Smad1/5/8 revealed that these chondrogenic phenotypes were associated with spatially disordered inputs of TGF-β and BMP signaling in the Mesp2-null chondrocytes, and also demonstrated an amorphous arrangement of cells with distinct properties. Furthermore, a significant delay in ossification in Mesp2-null vertebrae was observed by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. The current observations of the spatiotemporal disorder of vertebral organogenesis in the Mesp2-null mice provide further insight into the pathogenesis of SCDO and STDO, and the physiological development of the axial skeleton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Makino
- Section of Oral Pathology, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan
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12
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Iimura T, Nakane A, Sugiyama M, Sato H, Makino Y, Watanabe T, Takagi Y, Numano R, Yamaguchi A. A fluorescence spotlight on the clockwork development and metabolism of bone. J Bone Miner Metab 2012; 30:254-69. [PMID: 21766187 DOI: 10.1007/s00774-011-0295-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2011] [Accepted: 06/10/2011] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Biological phenomena that exhibit periodic activity are often referred as biorhythms or biological clocks. Among these, circadian rhythms, cyclic patterns reflecting a 24-h cycle, are the most obvious in many physiological activities including bone growth and metabolism. In the late 1990s, several clock genes were isolated and their primary structures and functions were identified. The feedback loop model of transcriptional factors was proposed to work as a circadian core oscillator not only in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus, which is recognized as the mammalian central clock, but also in various peripheral tissues including cartilage and bone. Looking back to embryonic development, the fundamental architecture of skeletal patterning is regulated by ultradian clocks that are defined as biorhythms that cycle more than once every 24 h. As post-genomic approaches, transcriptome analysis by micro-array and bioimaging assays to detect luminescent and fluorescent signals have been exploited to uncover a more comprehensive set of genes and spatio-temporal regulation of the clockwork machinery in animal models. In this review paper, we provide an overview of topics related to these molecular clocks in skeletal biology and medicine, and discuss how fluorescence imaging approaches can contribute to widening our views of this realm of biomedical science.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tadahiro Iimura
- Global Center of Excellence (GCOE) Program, International Research Center for Molecular Science in Tooth and Bone Diseases, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
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13
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Gray RS, Bayly RD, Green SA, Agarwala S, Lowe CJ, Wallingford JB. Diversification of the expression patterns and developmental functions of the dishevelled gene family during chordate evolution. Dev Dyn 2009; 238:2044-57. [PMID: 19618470 PMCID: PMC2782374 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.22028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Dishevelled (Dvl) proteins are key transducers of Wnt signaling encoded by members of a multi-gene family in vertebrates. We report here the divergent, tissue-specific expression patterns for all three Dvl genes in Xenopus embryos, which contrast dramatically with their expression patterns in mice. Moreover, we find that the expression patterns of Dvl genes in the chick diverge significantly from those of Xenopus. In addition, in hemichordates, an outgroup to chordates, we find that the one Dvl gene is dynamically expressed in a tissue-specific manner. Using knockdowns, we find that Dvl1 and Dvl2 are required for early neural crest specification and for somite segmentation in Xenopus. Most strikingly, we report a novel role for Dvl3 in the maintenance of gene expression in muscle and in the development of the Xenopus sclerotome. These data demonstrate that the expression patterns and developmental functions of specific Dvl genes have diverged significantly during chordate evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan S. Gray
- Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
| | - Robbie D. Bayly
- Section of Neurobiology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
| | - Stephen A. Green
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - Seema Agarwala
- Section of Neurobiology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
| | - Christopher J. Lowe
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637
| | - John B. Wallingford
- Section of Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
- Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
- Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712
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Giampietro PF, Dunwoodie SL, Kusumi K, Pourquié O, Tassy O, Offiah AC, Cornier AS, Alman BA, Blank RD, Raggio CL, Glurich I, Turnpenny PD. Progress in the understanding of the genetic etiology of vertebral segmentation disorders in humans. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2009; 1151:38-67. [PMID: 19154516 DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03452.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Vertebral malformations contribute substantially to the pathophysiology of kyphosis and scoliosis, common health problems associated with back and neck pain, disability, cosmetic disfigurement, and functional distress. This review explores (1) recent advances in the understanding of the molecular embryology underlying vertebral development and relevance to elucidation of etiologies of several known human vertebral malformation syndromes; (2) outcomes of molecular studies elucidating genetic contributions to congenital and sporadic vertebral malformation; and (3) complex interrelationships between genetic and environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of isolated syndromic and nonsyndromic congenital vertebral malformation. Discussion includes exploration of the importance of establishing improved classification systems for vertebral malformation, future directions in molecular and genetic research approaches to vertebral malformation, and translational value of research efforts to clinical management and genetic counseling of affected individuals and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip F Giampietro
- Department of Medical Genetic Services, Marshfield Clinic, 1000 North Oak Avenue, Marshfield, WI 54449, USA.
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Hong S, Kang JK, Park JJ, Ryu ES, Choi SS, Lee SH, Lee JH, Seo JS. Association of matrix metalloproteinase-3 with cardiogenic activity during Noggin-induced differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells. Int J Cardiol 2009; 141:49-60. [PMID: 19138802 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijcard.2008.11.156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2008] [Revised: 10/06/2008] [Accepted: 11/26/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the pluripotency of embryonic stem (ES) cells, their clinical applications have been hindered due to the lack of reliable differentiation methods. Recently, it was shown that Noggin could effectively induce cardiomyocyte differentiation by transient treatment of ES cells. METHODS To determine how Noggin may induce cardiac differentiation, we compared differentially expressed genes during Noggin-induced differentiation of ES cells using microarray analysis. We found Matrix metalloproteinase-3 (Mmp-3) expression was highly up-regulated by Noggin treatment. To understand the role of Mmp-3 in the cardiac differentiation of ES cells, we inhibited Mmp-3 activity by treating with a specific Mmp-3 inhibitor during Noggin-induced cardiac differentiation of ES cells. We also analyzed the expression levels of cardiac markers and the ratio of spontaneously beating embryoid bodies (EBs) in the presence of the Mmp-3 inhibitor. RESULTS We analyzed EB samples from zero, two, and four days with or without Noggin treatment, and found that the expression levels of 2 (0 day), 56 (2 days), and 805 (4 days) genes were altered with Noggin treatment. Up-regulation of Mmp-3 was closely associated with relative increases of cardiogenic, vasculogenic, and hematopoietic genes in EB treated with Noggin. By inhibiting Mmp-3 activity, we verified that Mmp-3 activation is partly responsible for both the expression of cardiac markers and the elevated ratio of spontaneously beating to non-beating EBs. CONCLUSIONS The concurrent expression of Mmp-3 with many cardiogenic genes and the specific inhibition of Mmp-3 revealed a critical role for Mmp-3 in Noggin-induced cardiac differentiation of ES cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su Hong
- Macrogen Inc, World Meridian Venture Center, 60-24 Gasan-dong, Seoul 153-023, Republic of Korea
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BARNES RALSTONM, FIRULLI ANTHONYB. A twist of insight - the role of Twist-family bHLH factors in development. THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2009; 53:909-24. [PMID: 19378251 PMCID: PMC2737731 DOI: 10.1387/ijdb.082747rb] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Members of the Twist-family of bHLH proteins play a pivotal role in a number of essential developmental programs. Twist-family bHLH proteins function by dimerizing with other bHLH members and binding to cis- regulatory elements, called E-boxes. While Twist-family members may simply exhibit a preference in terms of high-affinity binding partners, a complex, multilevel cascade of regulation creates a dynamic role for these bHLH proteins. We summarize in this review information on each Twist-family member concerning expression pattern, function, regulation, downstream targets, and interactions with other bHLH proteins. Additionally, we focus on the phospho-regulatory mechanisms that tightly control posttranslational modification of Twist-family member bHLH proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- RALSTON M. BARNES
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| | - ANTHONY B. FIRULLI
- Riley Heart Research Center, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Anatomy and Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana Medical School, Indianapolis, IN, USA
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Farin HF, Mansouri A, Petry M, Kispert A. T-box protein Tbx18 interacts with the paired box protein Pax3 in the development of the paraxial mesoderm. J Biol Chem 2008; 283:25372-25380. [PMID: 18644785 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m802723200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The compartmentalization of somites along their anterior-posterior axis is crucial to the segmental organization of the vertebral column. Anterior-posterior somite polarity is generated in the anterior presomitic mesoderm by Mesp2 and Delta/Notch signaling and is further maintained by two transcriptional regulators, Uncx4.1 and Tbx18, acting in the posterior and anterior somite compartment, respectively. Here, we report that the paired box transcription factor Pax3 cooperates with the T-box protein Tbx18 in maintaining anterior somite half identity. Our findings that both genes are co-expressed in the anterior presomitic mesoderm and in early somites, that Pax3 and Tbx18 proteins physically interact, and that the loss of Pax3 gene function enhances the vertebral defects (i.e. the gain of vertebral elements derived from posterior somite halves in Tbx18 mutant mice) suggests that the two proteins cooperatively regulate the gene expression program necessary for maintaining anterior-posterior somite polarity. Genetic interaction of Pax3 with Tbx18 and the closely related T-box gene Tbx15 was also observed in the development of the scapula blade, indicating an additional cooperative function for these genes in the paraxial mesoderm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henner F Farin
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, OE5250, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany and the
| | - Ahmed Mansouri
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Biophysical Chemistry, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marianne Petry
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, OE5250, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany and the
| | - Andreas Kispert
- Institute for Molecular Biology, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, OE5250, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany and the.
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