Temporal and spatial patterns of cbfal expression during embryonic development in the teleost, Oryzias latipes

Cbfa1, a transcription factor of the runt family, was recently shown to be a key regulator in skeletal development in mammals. In the present study, we identified the cbfa1 gene from the medaka, Oryzias latipes. The amino acid sequence, including the runt domain, is highly conserved with that of mammalian cbfa1. Whole mount in situ hybridization showed that the medaka cbfa1 was expressed prominently in immature osteoblasts and chondrocytes of the developing skeletal structures during embryogenesis. The expression pattern suggests functional and evolutionary implications of the cbfa1 gene in chondrocyte differentiation between teleosts and mammals.