Localized expression of BMP and GDF mRNA in the rodent brain

Expression of BMP- and GDF-related factors within the transforming growth f actor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily was examined in the rat and mouse brain b y in situ hybridization, Strong signals were obtained in neurons for GDF-1 and GDF-10, GDF-1 is expressed at postnatal day 6 in the cerebral cortex, h ippocampal CA1 through CA3 neurons, while only weakly expressed by cells in the dentate gyrus, Granule cells and neurons in the polymorph layer of the dentate gyrus are GDF-1-positive, as are the majority of neurons in the co rtex. GDF-10 shows a distinct pattern of expression: At P6, strong labellin g was seen in the superficial layers of cortex, notably in the posterior ci ngulate cortex, and in CA3 and dentate gyrus, From postnatal day 21, GDF-1 expression is strong in the hippocampus, cortex, and thalamic nuclei, while GDF-10 expression becomes restricted to the granule cell layer in the dent ate gyrus, In contrast, OP-l expression is restricted throughout developmen t to cells of the medial habenular nucleus, choroid plexus, and leptomening es, The markedly different expression patterns of these BMPs suggest they s erve separate functions in the brain. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss,Inc.