VSX-2, A GENE ENCODING A PAIRED-TYPE HOMEODOMAIN, IS EXPRESSED IN THERETINA, HINDBRAIN, AND SPINAL-CORD DURING GOLDFISH EMBRYOGENESIS

Vsx-2 encodes a paired-type homeodomain and is the goldfish ortholog o f the murine Chx10 gene. During development, Vsx-2 is expressed at hig h levels in goldfish and zebrafish retina. In addition to the retina, in situ hybridization studies using whole mount and cryosection embryo s demonstrate that Vsx-2 is also expressed in subsets of neurons in th e hindbrain and in the spinal cord. Expression begins approximately at the metencephalon-myelencephalon border and continues in a restricted lateral zone along the rostral-caudal axis of the spinal cord. These observations suggest a potential requirement for Vsx-2 in the specific ation and/or the maintenance of neurons in specific CNS regions during embryogenesis. Also discussed are other transcription factors which m ay act combinatorially with Vsx-2 to regulate neuronal differentiation . (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.