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First published online April 12, 2006
doi: 10.1242/10.1242/dev.02324


Development 133, 1831-1844 (2006)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2006


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Dose-dependent functions of Fgf8 in regulating telencephalic patterning centers

Elaine E. Storm1,*,{dagger}, Sonia Garel2,*,{ddagger}, Ugo Borello2,*, Jean M. Hebert3, Salvador Martinez4, Susan K. McConnell5, Gail R. Martin2 and John L. R. Rubenstein2,§

1 Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143-2711, USA.
2 Nina Ireland Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-2611, USA.
3 Departments of Neuroscience and Molecular Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA.
4 Instituto de Neurociencias de Alicante CSIC and Universidad Miguel Hernández, Spain.
5 Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA.


Figure 1
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Fig. 1. Fgf8 hypomorphic (Null/Neo) and telencephalon null (TelKO) mutants are hypoplastic and have morphological defects in rostral and midline regions of the telencephalon. (A-E'') Horizontal sections of E14.5 wild-type (A-E), Fgf8Null/Neo (A'-E') and Fgf8TelKO (A''-E'') brains were stained with Cresyl Violet. Structures were defined by their location and morphology. A,A',A'' are most dorsal and E,E',E'' are most ventral. A, amygdala region; A*, mutant amygdala region; GE*, mutant ganglionic eminence region; LGE, lateral ganglionic eminence; MGE, medial ganglionic eminence; OB, olfactory bulb; S, septum.

 

Figure 2
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Fig. 2. Analysis of neural plate patterning in Fgf8Null/Neo embryos. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showing Otx2 expression (A-B'), Six3 expression (C-D') and Foxg1 expression (E-F') in 9- to 10-somite embryos. The developmental stage of embryos is indicated in the lower left corner by the number of somites (s). On lateral views of embryos, anterior is located to the right; on frontal views, anterior is located towards the top. In the neural plate of the mutants, Otx2 expression is slightly expanded rostrally (arrowheads in B,B') and caudally at the level of the midbrain/hindbrain boundary (arrowheads in A,A'); Six3 expression is intensified in caudal regions (arrowheads in C-D'); and Foxg1 expression is slightly reduced (arrowheads in F,F'). Foxg1 expression is not detected in the mutant pharyngeal region (arrows in E,E').

 

Figure 3
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Fig. 3. Foxg1 expression and proliferation are reduced in the forebrain of Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO mutant embryos. Whole-mount in situ hybridization on E9 embryos showing Six3 (A-B''), Foxg1 (C-D'') and Emx2 (E9.5 embryos; F-G'') expression. For each probe, the top panel shows lateral views of the embryos, and the lower one frontal views. The Six3 expression domain in the rostroventral telencephalon appears smaller (arrowheads in B-B'') and Emx2 expression in the caudodorsal telencephalon expands rostrally in Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO mutants (arrowheads in F-F''). By contrast, the Foxg1 expression domain in the telencephalon is severely reduced in Fgf8Null/Neoembryos and almost absent in Fgf8TelKO embryos (solid arrowheads in C-D''). By contrast, Foxg1 expression in the olfactory placodes is still detected in both mutants (open arrowheads). Anti-phosphohistone3 (PH3) immunofluorescence on horizontal sections through the forebrain labels the nuclei of mitotic cells in wild-type (E), Fgf8Null/Neo (E') and Fgf8TelKO (E'') embryos (additional sections are in Fig. 4). The reduction in PH3+-labeled cells correlates with the reduction in Foxg1 expression (D,D',D''). Foxg1 is required for proliferation in the telencephalon (Xuan et al., 1995Go). Note, the panels showing PH3 labeling are turned 180° with respect to the panels showing frontal views of in situ hybridizations, such that the rostral regions face each other; this was done to facilitate comparison of Foxg1 expression and the number of PH3+ cells. The boxes indicate the regions in which the numbers of PH3+ cells were counted in the rostral midline (box 1) and in the rostroventral telencephalon (box 2) (see Table 1). Os, optic stalk; Tel, telencephalon.

 

Figure 4
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Fig. 4. Analysis of proliferation in the Fgf8 mutants at E9.0. Anti-phosphohistone3 (PH3) immunofluorescence on horizontal sections through the forebrain labels the nuclei of mitotic cells in wild-type (A-E), Fgf8Null/Neo (A'-E') and Fgf8TelKO (A''-E'') embryos. A-A'' are the most ventral; E-E'' are the most dorsal. Note, sections B,B',B'' are the same as in Fig. 3. Os, optic stalk; Tel, telencephalon.

 

Figure 5
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Fig. 5. Expression of patterning signals and transcription factors implicated in dorsal midline/paramedial development in E9-9.5 Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO embryos. Frontal views of embryos hybridized in whole mount with probes for Bmp4 (A-A''), Msx1 (B-B''), Wnt8b (C-C'') and Sp8 (D-D''). Bmp4 expression is absent in the prosencephalic dorsal midline in both mutants (arrows A-A''). Msx1 expression in prosencephalic dorsal midline is indicated by an arrow (B-B''); this expression is not detectable in the Fgf8Null/Neo mutant. Msx1 expression is also not detectable in the olfactory placodes. Wnt8b expression is expanded rostrally in the Fgf8Null/Neo mutant and even more so in the Fgf8TelKO mutant (C-C'') (note that the embryo in C'' is tilted backward, so the rostral expansion can be more readily observed). Sp8 expression is greatly reduced in the Fgf8Null/Neo mutant, but is present in the midline of the Fgf8TelKO mutant (arrow points to midline in D-D''). TUNEL analysis on horizontal sections through the E9.0 forebrain labels apoptotic cells in wild-type, Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO embryos (E-E'') (see additional cell death analysis in Fig. 6). In wild-type embryos, apoptotic cells are detected in the telencephalic midline (open arrowhead in E), the optic stalks and hypothalamus. In Fgf8Null/Neo embryos, the rostral midline has fewer TUNEL+ cells, E', although it does exhibit evidence for cell death in the telencephalon (white arrowhead), optic stalk, and particularly in the hypothalamus. Fgf8TelKO embryos have a higher concentration of TUNEL+ cells in the rostral midline (open arrowhead, E'), and have scattered TUNEL+ cells in the telencephalon (white arrowhead), optic stalk, and hypothalamus. The number of TUNEL+ cells in the rostral midline correlates with the expression of Msx1 at E9.0 (B-B''). Note that the panels showing TUNEL labeling are turned 180° with respect to the panels showing frontal views of in situ hybridization, such that the rostral regions face each other; this was done to facilitate the comparison of Msx1 expression with the number of TUNEL+ midline cells. The boxes demarcate the regions in which TUNEL+ cells were counted in the rostral midline (box 1) and rostroventral telencephalon (box 2) of embryos (see Table 1). Abbreviations: HT: hypothalamus, OP, olfactory placode; Os, optic stalk; Tel, telencephalon.

 

Figure 6
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Fig. 6. Analysis of cell death in the Fgf8 mutants at E9.0. TUNEL analysis on horizontal sections through the E9.0 forebrain labels apoptotic cells in wild-type (A-E), Fgf8Null/Neo (A'-E') and Fgf8TelKO embryos (A''-E''). A-A'' are the most ventral; E-E'' are the most dorsal. Note, sections B,B',B'' are the same as in Fig. 5. Black arrowheads indicate the rostral midline; white arrowheads indicate the apoptotic cells in the telencephalic primordium (A',B',B'',C'') and at the junction of the dorsal optic stalk with the telencephalon (D',D'',E',E''). HT, hypothalamus; Os, optic stalk; Tel, telencephalon.

 

Figure 7
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Fig. 7. Rostrocaudal gradients of Emx2 and COUP-TF1 expression are modified in Fgf8 mutant embryos. Whole-mount in situ hybridization on dissected E11.5 rostral neural tube showing Emx2 (A-A''), COUP-TFI (B-B'') and Bmp4 (C-C'') expression. Lateral views are presented. In C-C'' a box in the lower left corner shows an additional dorsal view. In wild-type embryos, the Emx2-high-expression domain is detected in the caudomedial telencephalon (arrowhead in A). In both Fgf8Null/Neoand Fgf8TelKO embryos, the Emx2-high-expression domain is expanded laterally and rostrally (arrowhead in A',A''). In wild-type embryos, the COUP-TF1-high-expression domain is restricted to caudolateral telencephalic regions (arrowhead in B). In Fgf8Null/Neoembryos, the COUP-TF1-high-expression domain expands rostrally (arrowhead in B') whereas it remains in a caudolateral position in Fgf8TelKO mutants (arrowhead in B''). Such a differential effect on COUP-TFI expression correlates with the difference in Bmp4 expression in the two Fgf8 mutants. Indeed, in Fgf8Null/Neo embryos, Bmp4 expression is the same as in wild-type embryos (restricted to dorsal midline tissues; arrowhead in C,C'). By contrast, Bmp4 expression expands in the telencephalic vesicles of Fgf8TelKO mutant embryos (arrowhead in C''). Os, optic stalk; Tel, telencephalon.

 

Figure 8
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Fig. 8. Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO mutants have progressive reduction of telencephalic Nkx2.1 expression. Whole-mount in situ hybridization on dissected E10 rostral neural tube using probes for Nkx2.1 (A,A',A'') and Shh (B,B') shows that expression of both genes is reduced in the telencephalic domains of Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO embryos. Shh expression in the telencephalon of the Fgf8TelKO mutant was not assessed because previous work demonstrated that loss of Nkx2.1 function in the telencephalon prevents Shh induction in the telencephalon (Sussel et al., 1999Go). Arrows in B,B' indicate Shh expression in the basal telencephalon. HT, hypothalamus; MGE, medial ganglionic eminence.

 

Figure 9
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Fig. 9. Fgf8 mutants lose ventral molecular properties in the telencephalon. In situ hybridization on coronal sections from E12.5 wild type, Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO embryos showing Pax6 (A-A''), Tbr1 (B-B''), Shh (C-C''), Nkx2.1 (D-D''), Dlx2 (E-E'') and Dlx5 (F-F'') expression. Horizontal arrows in A' and E'' indicate the approximate pallial-subpallial boundary in the Fgf8TelKO mutant. Also note the divergent morphology of the dorsal midline tissues in the Fgf8Null/Neo and Fgf8TelKO mutants (vertical arrows in B',B''). CX, cortex; LGE, lateral ganglionic eminence; MGE, medial ganglionic eminence; S, septum; SP*, unspecified subpallium.

 

Figure 10
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Fig. 10. Summary of proposed interactions between patterning centers. (A) Postulated signaling cascade downstream of FGF8. Not shown: FOXG1 also represses expression of WNT genes. Dotted lines indicate that the interaction is either indirect or potentially indirect. Note that Foxg1 expression is maintained in part by mTOR (Hentges et al., 1999Go; Hentges et al., 2001Go), and that the MAPK cascade blocks BMP signaling through phosphorylation of the linker domain of SMAD (Kretzschmar et al., 1997Go; Pera et al., 2003Go). (B) Schema of a frontolateral view of the telencephalon showing the patterning centers as marked by expression of the genes indicated, the cross regulation between the Fgf8 and Bmp4/Wnt3a-expressing centers, and the positive interactions between the Fgf8 and Shh-expressing domains. (C) Postulated pathways interconnecting FGF, BMP, WNT and SHH signaling through the EMX2, FOXG1 and NKX2.1 transcription factors. Note that there is evidence that EMX2 positively regulates BMP/WNT signaling that in turn represses Fgf8 expression (Shinozaki et al., 2004Go; Muzio et al., 2005Go; Shimogori et al., 2004Go). FGF8 signaling is required for induction of Nkx2.1 expression in the telencephalon; we hypothesize that FGF signaling has a general role in ventral neural specification. Not described in this schema is the role that GLI3 plays in regulating the balance between forebrain signaling centers. GLI3 represses SHH-mediated effects on ventralization throughout the nervous system (reviewed by Ruiz et al., 2002Go). As in more caudal regions of the neural tube, the expression of ventral molecular features expands into dorsal structures within the Gli3 mutant telencephalon (Tole et al., 2000Go; Rallu et al., 2002Go). Gli3 mutants exhibit a reduction in BMP and WNT expression at the dorsal midline (Grove et al., 1998Go; Kuschel et al., 2003Go) and an expansion of Fgf8 expression (Aoto et al., 2002Go; Kuschel et al., 2003Go), leading to the model that GLI3 plays a central role in mediating interactions between the telencephalic signaling centers (Aoto et al., 2002Go; Kuschel et al., 2003Go). However, since Shh expression is essentially eliminated from the telencephalon in the Fgf8 mutants, it is not clear whether alterations in Gli3 expression or function might contribute to their phenotypes. CP, commissural plate; Cx, cortex; HT, hypothalamus; LGE, lateral ganglionic eminence; LT, lamina terminalis; M, mesencephalon; MGE, medial ganglionic eminence; OC, optic chiasm; S, septum.

 

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© The Company of Biologists Ltd 2006