Cryptic boundaries in roof plate and choroid plexus identified by intersectional gene activation

Nat Genet. 2003 Sep;35(1):70-5. doi: 10.1038/ng1228. Epub 2003 Aug 17.

Abstract

The hindbrain roof plate and choroid plexus are essential organizing centers for inducing dorsal neuron fates and sustaining neuron function. To map the formation of these structures, we developed a broadly applicable, high resolution, recombinase-based method for mapping the fate of cells originating from coordinates defined by intersecting combinations of expressed genes. Using this method, we show that distinct regions of hindbrain roof plate originate from discrete subdomains of rhombencephalic neuroectoderm expressing Wnt1; that choroid plexus, a secretory epithelium important for patterning later-formed hindbrain structures and maintaining neuron function, derives from the same embryonic primordium as the hindbrain roof plate; and that, unlike the floor plate, these dorsal organizing centers develop in a patterned, segmental manner, built from lineage-restricted compartments. Our data suggest that the roof plate and choroid plexus may be formed of functional units that are capable of differentially organizing the generation of distinct neuronal cell types at different axial levels.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Alkaline Phosphatase / biosynthesis
  • Animals
  • Cell Lineage*
  • Choroid Plexus / cytology
  • Choroid Plexus / embryology*
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases / genetics
  • Gene Expression
  • Integrases / genetics
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Neurons / cytology*
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Rhombencephalon / cytology
  • Rhombencephalon / embryology*
  • Viral Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • Zebrafish Proteins*

Substances

  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Viral Proteins
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • Wnt1 protein, mouse
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • Cre recombinase
  • DNA Nucleotidyltransferases
  • FLP recombinase
  • Integrases
  • Alkaline Phosphatase