| First Author | Takahashi Y | Year | 2000 |
| Journal | Nat Genet | Volume | 25 |
| Issue | 4 | Pages | 390-6 |
| PubMed ID | 10932180 | Mgi Jnum | J:78989 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:2386793 | Doi | 10.1038/78062 |
| Citation | Takahashi Y, et al. (2000) Mesp2 initiates somite segmentation through the Notch signalling pathway. Nat Genet 25(4):390-6 |
| abstractText | The Notch-signalling pathway is important in establishing metameric pattern during somitogenesis. In mice, the lack of either of two molecules involved in the Notch-signalling pathway, Mesp2 or presenilin-1 (Ps1), results in contrasting phenotypes: caudalized versus rostralized vertebra. Here we adopt a genetic approach to analyse the molecular mechanism underlying the establishment of rostro-caudal polarity in somites. By focusing on the fact that expression of a Notch ligand, Dll1, is important for prefiguring somite identity, we found that Mesp2 initiates establishment of rostro-caudal polarity by controlling two Notch-signalling pathways. Initially, Mesp2 activates a Ps1-independent Notch-signalling cascade to suppress Dll1 expression and specify the rostral half of the somite. Ps1-mediated Notch-signalling is required to induce Dll1 expression in the caudal half of the somite. Therefore, Mesp2- and Ps1-dependent activation of Notch-signalling pathways might differentially regulate Dll1 expression, resulting in the establishment of the rostro-caudal polarity of somites. |
