Beta-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling regulates neurogenesis in the ventral telencephalon

Nat Neurosci. 2008 Dec;11(12):1383-91. doi: 10.1038/nn.2226. Epub 2008 Nov 9.

Abstract

Development of the telencephalon involves the coordinated growth of diversely patterned brain structures. Previous studies have demonstrated the importance of beta-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling in proliferation and fate determination during cerebral cortical development. We found that beta-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling critically maintained progenitor proliferation in the subcortical (pallidal) telencephalon. Targeted deletion of beta-catenin in mice severely impaired proliferation in the medial ganglionic eminence without grossly altering differentiated fate. Several lines of evidence suggest that this phenotype is primarily the result of a loss of canonical Wnt signaling. As previous studies have suggested that the ventral patterning factor Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) also stimulates dorsal telencephalic proliferation, we propose a model whereby Wnt and Shh signaling promote distinct dorsal-ventral patterning while also having broader effects on proliferation that serve to coordinate the growth of telencephalic subregions.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Body Patterning / genetics
  • Bromodeoxyuridine / metabolism
  • Calbindins
  • Cell Count / methods
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase / metabolism
  • Electroporation / methods
  • Embryo, Mammalian
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / genetics
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins / metabolism
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / pharmacology
  • Ki-67 Antigen / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism
  • Neurogenesis / drug effects
  • Neurogenesis / physiology*
  • Nuclear Proteins / genetics
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Organ Culture Techniques / methods
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / metabolism
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / physiology*
  • Stem Cells / drug effects
  • Stem Cells / physiology
  • TCF Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Telencephalon / cytology*
  • Telencephalon / physiology*
  • Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1
  • Transcription Factor 4
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Ascl1 protein, mouse
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • CTNNB1 protein, mouse
  • Calbindins
  • Dkk1 protein, mouse
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Ki-67 Antigen
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
  • S100 Calcium Binding Protein G
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • Tcf4 protein, mouse
  • Thyroid Nuclear Factor 1
  • Transcription Factor 4
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Green Fluorescent Proteins
  • Choline O-Acetyltransferase
  • Bromodeoxyuridine