Genomic organization and embryonic expression of the mouse fibroblast growth factor 9 gene

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9), originally cloned as glial-activating fa ctor from human glioma cells, is expressed in adult rat brain and kidney. H ere we report the chromosomal localization, genomic organization, and embry onic expression pattern of the mouse Fgf9 gene. Fgf9 maps to chromosome 14 near the Ctla6 locus. The gene spans more than 34 kb and contains three exo ns and two introns. Translation initiation occurs in exon 1, and translatio n termination occurs in exon 3, Fgf9 RNA was detected during mouse embryoge nesis in several tissues in which Fgf gene expression has not been previous ly described, including intermediate mesoderm of late-stage gastrulation, v entricular myocardium, lung pleura, skeletal myoblasts in the early limb bu d, spinal cord motor neurons, olfactory bulb, and gut lumenal epithelium. F gf9 is coexpressed with other Fgf genes in some skeletal myoblasts, in limb apical ectoderm, in craniofacial ectoderm, and in the retina, inner ear, a nd tooth bud. Dev Dyn 1999;216:72-88. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.