Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2026

Retroviral Infection of Murine Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Embryoid Body Cells for Analysis of Hematopoietic Differentiation
Published on: October 20, 2014
Leukemia inhibitory factor signaling is implicated in embrionic development of the HPA axis
Carol B Ware1, Anastasia Kariagina, Svetlana Zonis
1Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7190, USA.
Abstract:
Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is expressed in the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis and stimulates pituitary POMC transcription. The role of LIF receptor signaling in HPA axis development was examined. Lifr -/- and Lifr +/+ fetuses were obtained by Cesarean section on E18.5. Despite a 3-fold induction of hypothalamic CRH mRNA, pituitary POMC mRNA and RU486-induced ACTH levels were decreased in Lifr -/- mice. High CRH may be caused by increased central TNFalpha and IL-6 expression. Lifr -/- mice demonstrate elevated pituitary glucocorticoid (GR) and mineralocorticoid (MR) receptor mRNA and protein levels, indicating the importance of LIF signaling for HPA axis development.
Related Concept Videos
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
Regulation of Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Role of Ephrin-Eph Signalling in Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Lineage Commitment
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
