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Spatial and temporal patterns of ERK signaling during mouse embryogenesis
Laura Beth Corson1, Yojiro Yamanaka, Ka-Man Venus Lai
1Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Development (Cambridge, England)
|August 20, 2003
Summary
This study maps active ERK signaling during mouse development, revealing discrete spatial and temporal patterns crucial for embryonic organization. These findings highlight fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) involvement in key developmental signaling pathways.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Cell Signaling
Background:
- Embryonic development relies on intricate tissue communication.
- Receptor tyrosine kinases often signal via the RAS-MAPK pathway.
- Phosphorylated ERK (pERK) serves as a marker for active signaling during development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To map the spatiotemporal dynamics of ERK signaling in the developing mouse embryo.
- To investigate the regulation and dependency of ERK signaling on fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathways.
- To identify key developmental regions with sustained ERK activation.
Main Methods:
- Whole-mount immunohistochemistry using antibodies against phosphorylated ERK1 and ERK2.
- Analysis of ERK signaling location, timing, distribution, duration, and intensity.
- Pharmacological inhibition of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) to assess pathway dependency.
Main Results:
- Discrete spatial and temporal domains of ERK activation with defined boundaries were observed.
- Sustained ERK activation prominent in ectoplacental cone, limb buds, branchial arches, and CNS regions.
- Transient activation noted in neural crest, peripheral nervous system, and organ anlagen; pERK localized cytoplasmically.
- Strongest ERK activation domains correlated with known/suspected FGF signaling, often dependent on FGFR.
Conclusions:
- Identified critical domains of sustained ERK signaling in the intact mouse embryo.
- Provided insights into the in vivo regulation of ERK signaling during embryogenesis.
- Highlighted FGFR-dependent ERK activation in specific developmental contexts, suggesting regions for downstream target gene investigation.