Evidence that members of the Cut/Cux/CDP family may be involved in AER positioning and polarizing activity during chick limb development

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (23) ◽  
pp. 5133-5144
Author(s):  
A.T. Tavares ◽  
T. Tsukui ◽  
J.C. Izpisua Belmonte
Keyword(s):  
Limb Development ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Wing Margin ◽  
Lateral Plate ◽  
Posterior Limb ◽  
Downstream Target ◽  
Notch Pathways ◽  
Specialized Region ◽  
Dorsoventral Boundary ◽  
Cycle Regulation

In vertebrates, the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) is a specialized epithelium localized at the dorsoventral boundary of the limb bud that regulates limb outgrowth. In Drosophila, the wing margin is also a specialized region located at the dorsoventral frontier of the wing imaginal disc. The wingless and Notch pathways have been implicated in positioning both the wing margin and the AER. One of the nuclear effectors of the Notch signal in the wing margin is the transcription factor cut. Here we report the identification of two chick homologues of the Cut/Cux/CDP family that are expressed in the developing limb bud. Chick cux1 is expressed in the ectoderm outside the AER, as well as around ridge-like structures induced by (β)-catenin, a downstream target of the Wnt pathway. cux1 overexpression in the chick limb results in scalloping of the AER and limb truncations, suggesting that Cux1 may have a role in limiting the position of the AER by preventing the ectodermal cells around it from differentiating into AER cells. The second molecule of the Cut family identified in this study, cux2, is expressed in the pre-limb lateral plate mesoderm, posterior limb bud and flank mesenchyme, a pattern reminiscent of the distribution of polarizing activity. The polarizing activity is determined by the ability of a certain region to induce digit duplications when grafted into the anterior margin of a host limb bud. Several manipulations of the chick limb bud show that cux2 expression is regulated by retinoic acid, Sonic hedgehog and the posterior AER. These results suggest that Cux2 may have a role in generating or mediating polarizing activity. Taking into account the probable involvement of Cut/Cux/CDP molecules in cell cycle regulation and differentiation, our results raise the hypothesis that chick Cux1 and Cux2 may act by modulating proliferation versus differentiation in the limb ectoderm and polarizing activity regions, respectively.

scholarly journals Intercalation and the cellular origin of supernumerary limbs in Xenopus

Development ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 99 (4) ◽  
pp. 521-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Muneoka ◽  
E.H. Murad
Keyword(s):  
Limb Development ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Posterior Limb ◽  
Cellular Origin ◽  
Supernumerary Limbs ◽  
Anterior Posterior ◽  
Anterior Posterior Axis

The hypothesis that a specialized polarizing zone controls the pattern of the anterior-posterior axis during limb development in Xenopus has been tested by analysing the cellular contribution to supernumerary limbs. Supernumerary limbs were generated by grafting hindlimb buds contralaterally between X. borealis and X. laevis to appose anterior and posterior limb tissues. Cells derived from these two species of Xenopus are readily identified by staining with quinacrine. The analysis of cellular contribution showed that supernumerary limbs consist of approximately half anterior-derived (57%) and half posterior-derived (43%) cells. These data are not consistent with the polarizing zone theory but are consistent with the hypothesis that both supernumerary limbs and normally developing limbs arise from intercalary interactions between limb bud cells with different positional values.

Role of dHAND in the anterior-posterior polarization of the limb bud: implications for the Sonic hedgehog pathway

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (10) ◽  
pp. 2133-2142 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fernandez-Teran ◽  
M.E. Piedra ◽  
I.S. Kathiriya ◽  
D. Srivastava ◽  
J.C. Rodriguez-Rey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sonic Hedgehog ◽  
Limb Development ◽  
Mirror Image ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Bhlh Transcription Factor ◽  
Cardiovascular Development ◽  
Anterior Border ◽  
Lateral Plate ◽  
Shh Pathway ◽  
Anterior Posterior

dHAND is a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor essential for cardiovascular development. Here we analyze its pattern of expression and functional role during chick limb development. dHAND expression was observed in the lateral plate mesoderm prior to emergence of the limb buds. Coincident with limb initiation, expression of dHAND became restricted to the posterior half of the limb bud. Experimental procedures that caused mirror-image duplications of the limb resulted in mirror-image duplications of the pattern of dHAND expression along the anterior-posterior axis. Retroviral overexpression of dHAND in the limb bud produced preaxial polydactyly, corresponding to mild polarizing activity at the anterior border. At the molecular level, misexpression of dHAND caused ectopic activation of members of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway, including Gli and Patched, in the anterior limb bud. A subset of infected embryos displayed ectopic anterior activation of Shh. Other factors implicated in anterior-posterior polarization of the bud such as the most 5′ Hoxd genes and Bmp2 were also ectopically activated at the anterior border. Our results indicate a role for dHAND in the establishment of anterior-posterior polarization of the limb bud.

The origin and movement of the limb-bud epithelium and mesenchyme in the chick embryo as determined by radioautographic mapping

Development ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96
Author(s):  
Glenn C. Rosenquist
Keyword(s):  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Lateral Margin ◽  
Lateral Plate ◽  
Posterior Limb ◽  
Process Stage ◽  
The Future ◽  
Dorsal Portion ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Area Pellucida

The origin of the limb-bud cells was determined by tracing the movements of [3H]thymidine-labelled grafts excised from late medium-streak to 5-somite stage chick embryos and transplanted to the epiblast, streak, and endoderm-mesoderm of similarly staged recipient embryos. Although exact definition of the prelimb areas was not possible because of the small number of grafts placed at each developmental stage, the study showed in general that at the late medium-streak stage the future limb-bud epithelium is in the epiblast (dorsal) layer near the lateral margin of the area pellucida. It moves medially toward the embryonic axis, just lateral to the premesoderm cells which will be invaginated at the primitive streak. With regression of the streak, the limb-bud epithelium moves relatively anteriorly into a position dorsal to the limb-bud mesoderm, beginning at least as early as the early head-fold stage. At the definitive-streak stage, the future limb-bud mesoderm is in the epiblast layer about halfway from the streak to the lateral margin of the area pellucida, at a level about halfway between the anterior and posterior ends of the streak. From this position the prelimb mesoderm migrates medially to the streak, and is invaginated into the mesoderm layer at a position about halfway between the anterior and posterior ends of the streak; after the head-process stage, it migrates anteriorly and laterally into the somatic layer of the lateral plate, ventral to the limb-bud epithelium. Mesoderm which will form the anterior limb-bud migrates anterior to mesoderm which will form the posterior limb-bud; mesoderm which will form the ventral portion of each limb-bud migrates posterolateral to mesoderm which will form the dorsal portion of each limb-bud.

FGF-4 maintains polarizing activity of posterior limb bud cells in vivo and in vitro

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 119 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Vogel ◽  
C. Tickle
Keyword(s):  
Posterior Margin ◽  
Anterior Margin ◽  
Marked Decrease ◽  
Mesenchymal Cells ◽  
Apical Ectodermal Ridge ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Posterior Limb ◽  
Vertebrate Limb

The polarizing region is a major signalling tissue involved in patterning the tissues of the vertebrate limb. The polarizing region is located at the posterior margin of the limb bud and can be recognized by its ability to induce additional digits when grafted to the anterior margin of a chick limb bud. The signal from the polarizing region operates at the tip of the bud in the progress zone, a zone of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells, maintained by interactions with the apical ectodermal ridge. A number of observations have pointed to a link between the apical ectodermal ridge and signalling by the polarizing region. To test this possibility, we removed the posterior apical ectodermal ridge of chick wing buds and assayed posterior mesenchyme for polarizing activity. When the apical ectodermal ridge is removed, there is a marked decrease in polarizing activity of posterior cells. The posterior apical ectodermal ridge is known to express FGF-4 and we show that the decrease in polarizing activity of posterior cells of wing buds that normally follows ridge removal can be prevented by implanting a FGF-4-soaked bead. Furthermore, we show that both ectoderm and FGF-4 maintain polarizing activity of limb bud cells in culture.

Products, genetic linkage and limb patterning activity of a murine hedgehog gene

Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (11) ◽  
pp. 3339-3353 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.T. Chang ◽  
A. Lopez ◽  
D.P. von Kessler ◽  
C. Chiang ◽  
B.K. Simandl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Limb Development ◽  
Genetic Linkage ◽  
Pcr Primers ◽  
Amino Acid Identity ◽  
Protein Product ◽  
Proteolytic Processing ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Gene Encoding ◽  
Mouse Limb ◽  
Drosophila Embryos

The hedgehog (hh) segmentation gene of Drosophila melanogaster encodes a secreted signaling protein that functions in the patterning of larval and adult structures. Using low stringency hybridization and degenerate PCR primers, we have isolated complete or partial hh-like sequences from a range of invertebrate species including other insects, leech and sea urchin. We have also isolated three mouse and two human DNA fragments encoding distinct hh-like sequences. Our studies have focused upon Hhg-1, a mouse gene encoding a protein with 46% amino acid identity to hh. The Hhg-1 gene, which corresponds to the previously described vhh-1 or sonic class, is expressed in the notochord, ventral neural tube, lung bud, hindgut and posterior margin of the limb bud in developing mouse embryos. By segregation analysis the Hhg-1 gene has been localized to a region in proximal chromosome 5, where two mutations affecting mouse limb development previously have been mapped. In Drosophila embryos, ubiquitous expression of the Hhg-1 gene yields effects upon gene expression and cuticle pattern similar to those observed for the Drosophila hh gene. We also find that cultured quail cells transfected with a Hhg-1 expression construct can induce digit duplications when grafted to anterior or mid-distal but not posterior borders within the developing chick limb; more proximal limb element duplications are induced exclusively by mid-distal grafts. Both in transgenic Drosophila embryos and in transfected quail cells, the Hhg-1 protein product is cleaved to yield two stable fragments from a single larger precursor. The significance of Hhg-1 genetic linkage, patterning activity and proteolytic processing in Drosophila and chick embryos is discussed.

The application of aqueous two-phase partition to the study of chick limb mesenchymal diversification

Development ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 267-275
Author(s):  
C. P. Cottrill ◽  
Paul T. Sharpe ◽  
Lewis Wolpert
Keyword(s):  
Pattern Formation ◽  
Limb Development ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Proximal Region ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Cell Populations ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Phase Partition ◽  
Surface Character ◽  
Two Phase Partition

A technique which identifies cells differing in surface character, aqueous two-phase partition using thin-layer countercurrent distribution (TLCCD), has been used to study differentiation and pattern formation in the developing chick limb bud. The TLCCD profiles of cell populations, derived from various regions of morphologically undifferentiated mesenchyme from three different stages of limb development, have been compared. At no stage, or location, has the population been found to be homogeneous. Cells from progress zones and more proximal regions could all be resolved into several populations. The populations from progress zones at three different developmental stages were qualitatively similar but differed in the proportions of cells in each. The most striking differences in cell populations were those obtained from the most proximal region of the limb, closest to the flank, which represents the developmentally most advanced region.

The dominant hemimelia mutation uncouples epithelial-mesenchymal interactions and disrupts anterior mesenchyme formation in mouse hindlimbs

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (21) ◽  
pp. 4729-4736
Author(s):  
L. Lettice ◽  
J. Hecksher-Sorensen ◽  
R.E. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Pattern Formation ◽  
Limb Development ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Mouse Mutation ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Limb Outgrowth ◽  
Gene Functions ◽  
Regulatory Loop ◽  
Limb Initiation

Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are essential for both limb outgrowth and pattern formation in the limb. Molecules capable of communication between these two tissues are known and include the signaling molecules SHH and FGF4, FGF8 and FGF10. Evidence suggests that the pattern and maintenance of expression of these genes are dependent on a number of factors including regulatory loops between genes expressed in the AER and those in the underlying mesenchyme. We show here that the mouse mutation dominant hemimelia (Dh) alters the pattern of gene expression in the AER such that Fgf4, which is normally expressed in a posterior domain, and Fgf8, which is expressed throughout are expressed in anterior patterns. We show that maintenance of Shh expression in the posterior mesenchyme is not dependent on either expression of Fgf4 or normal levels of Fgf8 in the overlying AER. Conversely, AER expression of Fgf4 is not directly dependent on Shh expression. Also the reciprocal regulatory loop proposed for Fgf8 in the AER and Fgf10 in the underlying mesenchyme is also uncoupled by this mutation. Early during the process of limb initiation, Dh is involved in regulating the width of the limb bud, the mutation resulting in selective loss of anterior mesenchyme. The Dh gene functions in the initial stages of limb development and we suggest that these initial roles are linked to mechanisms that pattern gene expression in the AER.

scholarly journals An intrinsic cell cycle timer terminates limb bud outgrowth

eLife ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Pickering ◽  
Constance A Rich ◽  
Holly Stainton ◽  
Cristina Aceituno ◽  
Kavitha Chinnaiya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Rna Sequencing ◽  
Late Stage ◽  
Limb Development ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Limb Outgrowth ◽  
Bmp Signalling ◽  
Mesenchyme Cells

The longstanding view of how proliferative outgrowth terminates following the patterning phase of limb development involves the breakdown of reciprocal extrinsic signalling between the distal mesenchyme and the overlying epithelium (e-m signalling). However, by grafting distal mesenchyme cells from late stage chick wing buds to the epithelial environment of younger wing buds, we show that this mechanism is not required. RNA sequencing reveals that distal mesenchyme cells complete proliferative outgrowth by an intrinsic cell cycle timer in the presence of e-m signalling. In this process, e-m signalling is required permissively to allow the intrinsic cell cycle timer to run its course. We provide evidence that a temporal switch from BMP antagonism to BMP signalling controls the intrinsic cell cycle timer during limb outgrowth. Our findings have general implications for other patterning systems in which extrinsic signals and intrinsic timers are integrated.

scholarly journals COINCINDENT ACTIVATION OF THE WNT AND SHH PATHWAYS BY FGF IN THE POSTERIOR LIMB BUD

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan M Van Arsdale ◽  
Jennifer M Feenstra ◽  
Charmaine U Pira ◽  
Kerby C Oberg
Keyword(s):  
Limb Bud ◽  
Posterior Limb

Role of the chicken homeobox-containing genes GHox-4.6 and GHox-8 in the specification of positional identities during the development of normal and polydactylous chick limb buds

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 115 (2) ◽  
pp. 629-637 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.N. Coelho ◽  
W.B. Upholt ◽  
R.A. Kosher
Keyword(s):  
Limb Development ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Limb Bud ◽  
Chick Embryos ◽  
Limb Buds ◽  
Hox Gene ◽  
Wing Bud ◽  
Coated Bead ◽  
Experimentally Induced

During early stages of normal chick limb development, the homeobox-containing (HOX) gene GHox-4.6 is expressed throughout the posterior mesoderm of the wing bud from which most of the skeletal elements including the digits will develop, whereas GHox-8 is expressed in the anterior limb bud mesoderm which will not give rise to skeletal elements. In the present study, we have examined the expression of GHox-4.6 and GHox-8 in the wing buds of two polydactylous mutant chick embryos, diplopodia-5 and talpid2, from which supernumerary digits develop from anterior limb mesoderm, and have also examined the expression of these genes in response to polarizing zone grafts and retinoic acid-coated bead implants which induce the formation of supernumerary digits from anterior limb mesoderm. We have found that the formation of supernumerary digits from the anterior mesoderm in mutant and experimentally induced polydactylous limb buds is preceded by the ectopic expression of GHox-4.6 in the anterior mesoderm and the coincident suppression of GHox-8 expression in the anterior mesoderm. These observations suggest that the anterior mesoderm of the polydactylous limb buds is “posteriorized” and support the suggestion that GHox-8 and GHox-4.6, respectively, are involved in specifying the anterior non-skeletal and posterior digit-forming regions of the limb bud. Although the anterior mesodermal domain of GHox-8 expression is severely impaired in the mutant and experimentally induced polydactylous limb buds, this gene is expressed by the prolonged, thickened apical ectodermal ridges of the polydactylous limb buds that extend along the distal anterior as well as the distal posterior mesoderm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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