Expression of receptor tyrosine phosphatase gamma during early developmentof the chick embryo

Studies in Drosophila suggest that receptor-tyrosine phosphatases are key r egulators of neural development, however little is known about their expres sion or function in the nervous system of vertebrate embryos. In this repor t, we describe the expression pattern of RPTP gamma during early chick embr yogenesis. Transcripts are largely restricted to the developing nervous sys tem including oculomotor, trochlear and branchiomotor populations but are a bsent from spinal motor neurones. RPTP gamma is also detected in cells in t he positions of hindbrain reticulospinal neurones, spinal commisural neuron es and in cells with neuronal morphology in the ventral diencephalon. Withi n the peripheral nervous system transcripts are found in neuroblasts delami nating from epibranchial placodes and subsequently in placode-derived crani al ganglia. Outside the nervous system expression is detected in somites an d transiently in the second branchial arch and the cranial mesenchyme. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.