Abstract
Notch genes encode receptors for a signaling pathway that regulates neurogenesis. The DSL (Delta/Serrate/lag-2) genes encode ligands that bind and activate Notch. In situ hybridization was used to determine the spatiotemporal expression of Notch1, Notch2, and Notch3, and the DSL ligands, Jagged and Delta 1, in an effort to identify potential ligand-receptor pairs that function during development of the rat nervous system. Here we describe both distinct and overlapping expression patterns for these genes in neural progenitors that form both the central and the peripheral nervous systems. The punctate expression patterns we detected for Jagged and Delta 1 are consistent with their role in mediating lateral inhibition, a process proposed to regulate neural determination. Furthermore, within the ventricular zone of the neural tube and retina, Jagged and Delta 1 were expressed in complementary regions, suggesting that different DSL-Notch combinations may direct the development of distinct neural subtypes.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Antisense Elements (Genetics)
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Calcium-Binding Proteins
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Central Nervous System / chemistry
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Central Nervous System / embryology*
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Ciliary Body / chemistry
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Ciliary Body / embryology
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Diencephalon / chemistry
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Diencephalon / embryology
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Digoxigenin
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Ear, Inner / chemistry
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Ear, Inner / embryology
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Embryo, Mammalian / chemistry
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Epithelial Cells
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Epithelium / chemistry
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Female
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Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / physiology
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Jagged-1 Protein
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Ligands
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Male
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Membrane Proteins / genetics*
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Olfactory Receptor Neurons / chemistry
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Peripheral Nervous System / chemistry
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Peripheral Nervous System / embryology*
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RNA, Messenger / metabolism
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Rats
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Receptors, Cell Surface / genetics
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Receptors, Notch
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Retina / chemistry
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Retina / embryology
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Rhombencephalon / chemistry
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Rhombencephalon / embryology
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Serrate-Jagged Proteins
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Spinal Cord / chemistry
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Spinal Cord / embryology
Substances
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Antisense Elements (Genetics)
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Calcium-Binding Proteins
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Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Jag1 protein, rat
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Jagged-1 Protein
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Ligands
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Membrane Proteins
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RNA, Messenger
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Receptors, Cell Surface
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Receptors, Notch
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Serrate-Jagged Proteins
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delta protein
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Digoxigenin