| First Author | Castelo-Branco G | Year | 2010 |
| Journal | Dev Dyn | Volume | 239 |
| Issue | 1 | Pages | 211-21 |
| PubMed ID | 19795519 | Mgi Jnum | J:155225 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:4413371 | Doi | 10.1002/dvdy.22094 |
| Citation | Castelo-Branco G, et al. (2009) Delayed dopaminergic neuron differentiation in Lrp6 mutant mice. Dev Dyn 239(1):211-221 |
| abstractText | Wnts are known to bind and activate multiple membrane receptors/coreceptors and to regulate dopaminergic (DA) neuron development and ventral midbrain (VM) morphogenesis. The low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein (Lrp6) is a Wnt co-receptor, yet it remains unclear whether Lrp6 is required for DA neuron development or VM morphogenesis. Lrp6 is expressed ubiquitously in the developing VM. In this study, we show that Lrp6(-/-) mice exhibit normal patterning, proliferation and cell death in the VM, but display a delay in the onset of DA precursor differentiation. A transient 50% reduction in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive DA neurons and in the expression of DA markers such as Nurr1 and Pitx3, as well as a defect in midbrain morphogenesis was detected in the mutant embryos at embryonic day 11.5. Our results, therefore, suggest a role for Lrp6 in the onset of DA neuron development in the VM as well as a role in midbrain morphogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 239:211-221, 2010. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
