H. Roelink et al., SONIC HEDGEHOG - A MEDIATOR OF INDUCTIVE SIGNALING IN THE NEURAL VENTRAL TUBE, SEMINARS IN CELL & DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, 7(1), 1996, pp. 121-127
The differentiation of distinct cell types in the ventral neural tube
can be induced by Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) a signaling molecule expressed
by the notochord. SHH undergoes autoproteolytic cleavage to generate a
mino- and carboxy terminal products. Floor plate and motor neurons can
be induced by the amino-terminal cleavage product of SHH (SHH-N). The
threshold concentration for induction of floor plate cells in neural
plate explants is about 5-fold higher than that required to induce mot
or neurons, suggesting that the induction of distinct ventral cell typ
es by the notochord in vivo is mediated by exposure of neural plate ce
lls to different concentrations of SHH-N.