TGF-BETA-2 KNOCKOUT MICE HAVE MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTAL DEFECTS THAT ARENONOVERLAPPING WITH OTHER TGF-BETA KNOCKOUT PHENOTYPES

The growth and differentiation factor transforming growth factor-beta 2 (TGF beta 2) is thought to play important roles in multiple developm ental processes. Targeted disruption of the TGF beta 2 gene was undert aken to determine its essential role in vivo. TGF beta 2-null mice exh ibit perinatal mortality and a wide range of developmental defects for a single gene disruption, These include cardiac, lung, craniofacial, limb, spinal column, eye, inner ear and urogenital defects, The develo pmental processes most commonly involved in the affected tissues inclu de epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, cell growth, extracellular mat rix production and tissue remodeling. In addition, many affected tissu es have neural crest-derived components and simulate neural crest defi ciencies. There is no phenotypic overlap with TGF beta 1- and TGF beta 3-null mice indicating numerous non-compensated functions between the TGF beta isoforms.