Two signalling pathways specify localised expression of the Broad-Complex in Drosophila eggshell patterning and morphogenesis

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (22) ◽  
pp. 4639-4647 ◽  
Author(s):  
W.M. Deng ◽  
M. Bownes

The Drosophila eggshell, which has a pair of chorionic appendages (dorsal appendages) located asymmetrically along both the anterior/posterior and dorsal/ventral axes, provides a good model to study signal instructed morphogenesis. We show that the Broad-Complex, a gene encoding zinc-finger transcription factors, is essential for the morphogenesis of dorsal appendages and is expressed in a bilaterally symmetrical pattern in the lateral-dorsal-anterior follicle cells during late oogenesis. This is induced and specified along the dorsoventral axis by an epidermal growth factor receptor signalling pathway, which includes a localised transforming growth factor-alpha like molecule, Gurken, in the oocyte and the Drosophila EGF receptor homologue, Torpedo, in the surrounding somatic follicle cells. Furthermore, the precisely localised expression of BR-C along the AP axis requires a separate signalling pathway, initiated by a transforming growth factor-beta homologue, Decapentaplegic, in nearby follicle cells. These two signalling pathways, one from the oocyte and the other from the follicle cells, co-ordinately specify patches of follicle cells to express the Broad-Complex in a unique position in respect to both major axes, which in turn directs the differentiation of the dorsal appendages in the correct position on the eggshell.

1997 ◽  
Vol 272 (2) ◽  
pp. F222-F228
Author(s):  
C. Kjelsberg ◽  
H. Sakurai ◽  
K. Spokes ◽  
C. Birchmeier ◽  
I. Drummond ◽  
...  

The growth factor/receptor combination of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF)/c-met has been postulated to be critical for mesenchymal-to-epithelial conversion and tubule formation in the developing kidney. We therefore isolated and immortalized cells from embryonic kidneys of met -/- transgenic mice to determine whether these cells were epithelial and able to chemotax and form tubules in vitro. The cells were immortalized with retrovirus expressing human papillomavirus 16 (HPV 16) E6/E7 genes. Two rapidly dividing clones were isolated and found to express the epithelial cell markers cytokeratin, zonula occludens-1, and E-cadherin but not to express the fibroblast marker vimentin. The met -/- cells were able to chemotax in response to epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) and form tubules in vitro in response to TGF-alpha but not HGF. These experiments suggest that the HGF/c-met axis is not essential for epithelial cell development in the embryonic kidney and demonstrate that other growth factors are capable of supporting early tubulogenesis.


2018 ◽  
pp. 6778-6787 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pablo S Reineri ◽  
María S. Coria ◽  
María G. Barrionuevo ◽  
Olegario Hernández ◽  
Santiago Callejas ◽  
...  

Introduction. Growth and follicular maturation involve transformations of various components of the follicle, such as the oocyte, granulosa and techa cells. Several growth factors, including differentiation growth factor 9 (GDF9), bone morphogenic protein 15 (BMP15) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) are important for follicular development and oocyte maturation, by its ability to increase the proliferation of granulosa, techa cells and the ovarian stroma. Objetive. Evaluate mRNA expression of GDF9, BMP15, FGF2 and their main receptors, transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 (TGFβ-R1), bone morphogenetic protein receptor, type IB (BMPR-IB) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) in bovine follicular cells. Materials and methods. Total RNA was isolated from pooled samples of oocytes (OOs), cumulus cells (CCs) of cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) and follicular cell pellets (PCs) of 70 ovaries obtained from 96 beef heifers, collected at a local abattoir. The expression pattern of growth factors and their receptors in follicular bovine cells was evaluated by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results. The mRNA transcripts encoding GDF9, BMP15, FGF2, TGFβ-R1, BMPR-IB and FGFR2 genes were detected, by RT-PCR, in all studied cells. This is the first time that the expression of TGFβ-R1 and BMPR-IB receptors is reported in bovine oocytes. Conclusions. The presence of growth factors and receptor transcripts in the studied cells indicate that these factors could act as paracrine and autocrine regulators of folliculogenesis.


2011 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 866-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus A. Schirmer ◽  
Jürgen Brockmöller ◽  
Margret Rave-Fränk ◽  
Patricia Virsik ◽  
Barbara Wilken ◽  
...  

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (3) ◽  
pp. 663-669 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.J. Vaughan ◽  
P.S. James ◽  
J.C. Pascall ◽  
K.D. Brown

Expression of mRNA for transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), epidermal growth factor (EGF) and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) during early pig development was evaluated by reverse transcription-PCR. In the unfertilised pig oocyte, maternal transcripts for EGF, but not for TGF alpha or the EGF-R, were detected. Pig conceptuses were analysed at days 7, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 18 and 22 of pregnancy. EGF-R mRNA was detected at all stages of conceptus development analysed. Interestingly, TGF alpha mRNA was expressed by the developing blastocyst only at days 8, 10 and 12 of pregnancy, with the highest levels apparent at day 10. In contrast, EGF mRNA was first expressed by the post-elongation conceptus at around day 15 of pregnancy with levels continuing to increase up to day 22. In the day-18 and day-22 conceptuses, this EGF message was shown to be primarily a product of the embryo-amnion and not the placental membranes. Furthermore, EGF was immunolocalised in the day-22 embryo to the developing lung bud, gut loop and amnion. In summary, the expression pattern of TGF alpha mRNA during early pig development is coincident with the onset of blastocyst elongation and suggests a possible role for TGF alpha during this period of cellular remodelling. The temporal and spatial expression of EGF mRNA and protein suggests a possible involvement for EGF in the establishment of the early organ systems.


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