| First Author | Bates MD | Year | 2006 |
| Journal | BMC Dev Biol | Volume | 6 |
| Pages | 33 | PubMed ID | 16854219 |
| Mgi Jnum | J:119681 | Mgi Id | MGI:3703127 |
| Doi | 10.1186/1471-213X-6-33 | Citation | Bates MD, et al. (2006) The Hlx homeobox transcription factor is required early in enteric nervous system development. BMC Dev Biol 6:33 |
| abstractText | BACKGROUND: Development of the enteric nervous system (ENS) requires interactions between migrating neural crest cells and the nascent gastrointestinal tract that are dependent upon genes expressed by both cell compartments. Hlx, a homeobox transcription factor gene that is expressed in mouse intestinal and hepatic mesenchyme, is required for normal embryonic growth of intestine and liver, and the Hlx-/- genotype is embryonic lethal. We hypothesized that Hlx is required for ENS development. RESULTS: Enteric neurons were identified in Hlx+/+ and Hlx-/- mouse embryos by immunostaining of embryo sections for the neural markers PGP9.5 and Phox2b, or by staining for beta-galactosidase in whole-mount embryos containing the dopamine beta-hydroxylase-nLacZ transgene. In Hlx+/+ embryos, neural crest cells/enteric neurons have moved from the stomach into the intestine by E10.5. By contrast, neural crest cells/enteric neurons remain largely restricted to the lateral stomach mesenchyme of Hlx-/- embryos, with only a few scattered neural crest cells/enteric neurons in the intestine between E10.5-16.5. CONCLUSION: The Hlx homeobox transcription factor is required for early aspects of ENS development. |
