Bone morphogenetic proteins are required in vivo for the generation of sympathetic neurons

Citation
C. Schneider et al., Bone morphogenetic proteins are required in vivo for the generation of sympathetic neurons, NEURON, 24(4), 1999, pp. 861-870
Citations number
52
Categorie Soggetti
Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
NEURON
ISSN journal
08966273 → ACNP
Volume
24
Issue
4
Year of publication
1999
Pages
861 - 870
Database
ISI
SICI code
0896-6273(199912)24:4<861:BMPARI>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) induce autonomic neurogenesis in neural crest cultures and stimulate sympathetic neuron development when overexpres sed in vivo. We demonstrate that inhibition of BMPs in the chick embryo by the BMP antagonist Noggin prevents sympathetic neuron generation. In Noggin -treated embryos, the noradrenergic marker genes tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DBH), panneuronal neurofilament 160 (NF160) and SCG10 genes, and the transcriptional regulators Phox2b and Phox2a are n ot expressed in sympathetic ganglia. Whereas initial ganglion development i s not affected, the expression of the basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor cash-1 is strongly reduced. These results demonstrate that BMPs are essential for sympathetic neuron development and establish Cash-1 and Phox2 genes as downstream effecters of BMPs in this lineage.