B-myb is required for inner cell mass formation at an early stage of development

The myb gene family has three members, c-myb, A-myb, and B-myb, which have distinct expression patterns. Analyses of c-myb and A-myb mutant mice have indicated that c-myb and A-myb are important for hematopoiesis and spermatogenesis, respectively. However, there has been no evidence for a role for B-myb in development. To examine the role of B-myb in development, we generated B-myb-deficient mice by gene targeting. Although the heterozygous mutants were healthy, the homozygous mutants died at an early stage of development, around E4. 5-E6.5. In vitro culture of blastocyst indicated that B-myb is required for inner cell mass formation. Consistent with the important role of B-myb in early embryonic development, only B-myb among myb family members was expressed in embryonic stem cells. These results indicate that each of the three members of the myb gene family plays a distinct role during development.