Expression of Gbx-2 during early development of the chick embryo

Abstract

Gbx-2 is required for the normal development of the anterior hindbrain. Since much of our understanding of the normal development of this region derives from studies of avian embryos, we have determined the expression of Gbx-2 in chick embryos at stages relevant to the regionalization of the hindbrain. As the neural plate forms transcripts already have a clear anterior limit of expression and, subsequently, occupy a domain extending from the extreme posterior midbrain to the rhombomere 3/4 boundary. Subsequently, expression is restricted to the isthmus, a dorsal stripe of expression extending throughout the hindbrain in the ventricular region and the cells adjacent to rhombomere boundaries. Transcripts were also detected in pharyngeal endoderm, the otic placode and vesicle, pharyngeal arches and somites.