Journal Article

Nodal antagonists regulate formation of the anteroposterior axis of the mouse embryo

Shawlot, William, Behringer, Richard R., Ang, Siew-Lan, Meno, Chikara, Yamamoto, Masamichi, Perea-Gomez, Aitana, Saijoh, Yukio, Hamada, Hiroshi

2004

Overview

Patterning of the mouse embryo along the anteroposterior axis during body plan development requires migration of the distal visceral endoderm (DVE) towards the future anterior side by a mechanism that has remained unknown. Here we show that Nodal signalling and the regionalization of its antagonists are required for normal migration of the DVE. Whereas Nodal signalling provides the driving force for DVE migration by stimulating the proliferation of visceral endoderm cells, the antagonists Lefty1 and Cerl determine the direction of migration by asymmetrically inhibiting Nodal activity on the future anterior side.

• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group UK,Nature Publishing,Nature Publishing Group
• Subject: Animals / Biological and medical sciences / Body Patterning - drug effects / Cell Division - drug effects / Cell Movement / Cellular biology / Cerl protein / Cytokines / Development Biology / DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics / DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism / Early stages. Segmentation. Gastrulation. Neurulation / Embryo, Mammalian - cytology / Embryo, Mammalian - drug effects / Embryo, Mammalian - embryology / Embryo, Mammalian - metabolism / Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology / Embryos / Endoderm - cytology / Endoderm - drug effects / Endoderm - metabolism / Forkhead Transcription Factors / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Gene Deletion / Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Genetics / Humanities and Social Sciences / In Situ Hybridization / Left-Right Determination Factors / Lefty1 protein / Life Sciences / Mice / multidisciplinary / Nodal Protein / Proteins - genetics / Proteins - metabolism / RNA, Messenger - genetics / RNA, Messenger - metabolism / Rodents / Science / Science (multidisciplinary) / Signal Transduction - drug effects / Transcription Factors - genetics / Transcription Factors - metabolism / Transforming Growth Factor beta - antagonists & inhibitors / Transforming Growth Factor beta - genetics / Transforming Growth Factor beta - metabolism