Fgf-10 is required for both limb and lung development and exhibits striking functional similarity to Drosophila branchless

Article Abstract:

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family members are thought to be involved in various aspects of embroyonic development in vertebrates as well as in adult tissue homeostasis. Fgf-10-deficient mice have been generated. Limb bud initiation was not present in Fgf-10-/- mice, but the fetuses of the mice went on developing until birth, even though they had no limbs, front or back. The mice had no lungs and could not live, but tracheal development was normal. Main-stem bronchial formation and any other pulmonary branching was disrupted. The pulmonary phenotype of the mice is much like that of the Drosophila mutant branchless, which is an Fgf homolog. Fgf-10 is required for apical ectodermal ridge (AER) formation. It acts epistatically upstream of Fgf-8, which is the first known AER marker for mice.

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The ROTUNDIFOLIA3 gene of Arabidopsis thaliana encodes a new member of the cytochrome P-450 family that is required for the regulated polar elongation of leaf cells

Article Abstract:

In Arabidopsis thaliana the ROTUNDIFOLIA3 gene (ROT3) encodes a protein that represents a new member of the cytochrome P-450 family. It is necessary to regulate polar elongation of leaf cells. Expression of ROT3 was found in all major plant organs. Tissues with high cell-division activity had elevated expression of ROT3. It seems ROT3 protein is in a new class of cytochrome P-450 encoding putative steroid hydroxylases required for regulating polar elongation of cells in Arabidopsis leaves. The study involved a T-DNA tagging method.

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Activin is an essential early mesenchymal signal in tooth development that is required for patterning of the murine dentition

Article Abstract:

Development of teeth in mammals has been studied carefully as a model system for organogenesis epithelial mesenchymal interactions. Key molecules in the signaling are now better identified. Activin is required in early mesenchymal signals for tooth development. It is required for patterning of the mouse teeth. Activin beta A is expressed in presumptive tooth-germ mesenchyme, as has been shown through tissue recombination experiments.

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