Journal
MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR BIOLOGY
Volume 21, Issue 23, Pages 8184-8188Publisher
AMER SOC MICROBIOLOGY
DOI: 10.1128/MCB.21.23.8184-8188.2001
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [P30 CA034196, CA34196, CA09217, T32 CA009217] Funding Source: Medline
- NICHD NIH HHS [HD34883, R01 HD034883] Funding Source: Medline
- NIDCR NIH HHS [P60 DE013078, DE13078] Funding Source: Medline
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Snail family genes encode DNA binding zinc finger proteins that act as transcriptional repressors. Mouse embryos deficient for the Snail (Sna) gene exhibit defects in the formation of the mesoderm germ layer. In Sna(-/-) mutant embryos, a mesoderm layer forms and mesodermal marker genes are induced but the mutant mesoderm is morphologically abnormal. Lacunae form within the mesoderm layer of the mutant embryos, and cells lining these lacunae retain epithelial characteristics. These cells resemble a columnar epithelium and have apical-basal polarity, with microvilli along the apical surface and intercellular electron-dense adhesive junctions that resemble adherens junctions. E-cadherin expression is retained in the mesoderm of the Sna(-/-) embryos. These defects are strikingly similar to the gastrulation defects observed in snail-deficient Drosophila embryos, suggesting that the mechanism of repression of E-cadherin transcription by Snail family proteins may have been present in the metazoan ancestor of the arthropod and mammalian lineages.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available