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First published online 13 September 2006
doi: 10.1242/dev.02583
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Departments of Zoology and Anatomy and Neuroscience Training Program, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
* Author for correspondence (e-mail: mchalloran{at}wisc.edu)
Accepted 11 August 2006
Neural crest cells (NCCs) are pluripotent migratory cells that are crucial
to the development of the peripheral nervous system, pigment cells and
craniofacial cartilage and bone. NCCs are specified within the dorsal ectoderm
and undergo an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in order to migrate
to target destinations where they differentiate. Here we report a role for a
member of the semaphorin family of cell guidance molecules in NCC development.
Morpholino-mediated knockdown of Sema3d inhibits the proliferation of
hindbrain neuroepithelial cells. In addition, Sema3d knockdown reduces markers
of migratory NCCs and disrupts NCC-derived tissues. Similarly, expression of a
dominant-repressor form of TCF (
TCF) reduces hindbrain cell
proliferation and leads to a disruption of migratory NCC markers. Moreover,
expression of
TCF downregulates sema3d RNA expression.
Finally, Sema3d overexpression rescues reduced proliferation caused by
TCF expression, suggesting that Sema3d lies downstream of Wnt/TCF
signaling in the molecular pathway thought to control cell cycle in NCC
precursors.
Key words: Neural crest, Zebrafish, Semaphorin, TCF, Cell cycle, Cyclin
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