L. Puelles et Jlr. Rubenstein, EXPRESSION PATTERNS OF HOMEOBOX AND OTHER PUTATIVE REGULATORY GENES IN THE EMBRYONIC MOUSE FOREBRAIN SUGGEST A NEUROMERIC ORGANIZATION, Trends in neurosciences, 16(11), 1993, pp. 472-479
The molecular mechanisms that control regional specification, morphoge
nesis and differentiation of the embryonic forebrain are not known, al
though recently several laboratories have isolated homeobox, Wnt and o
ther genes that are candidates for playing roles in these processes. M
ost of these genes exhibit temporally and spatially restricted pattern
s of expression within the forebrain. However, analysis of the spatial
patterns has been complicated because an understanding of the organiz
ation of the embryonic forebrain has been lacking. This article descri
bes a neuromeric model of the forebrain that is consistent with the ex
pression patterns of these genes, and that provides a framework for un
derstanding the morphological relationships within this complex struct
ure.