Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Immunohistochemical Detection of 5-Methylcytosine and 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine in Developing and Postmitotic Mouse Retina
Published on: August 29, 2018
Methylation of the mouse DIx5 and Osx gene promoters regulates cell type-specific gene expression
Ji Yun Lee1, Yu Mi Lee, Mi Jin Kim
1Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Skeletal Diseases Genome Research Center, Kyungpook National University Hospital, Daegu 700-422, Korea.
Abstract:
Dlx5 and Osx are master regulatory proteins essential for initiating the cascade leading to osteoblast differentiation in mammals, but the mechanism of osteoblast-specific expression is not fully understood. DNA methylation at CpG sequences is involved in tissue and cell type-specific gene expression. We investigated the methylation status of Dlx5 and Osx in osteogenic and nonosteogenic cell lines by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). The CpG dinucleotides of the Dlx5 and Osx promoter regions were unmethylated in osteogenic cell lines transcribing these genes but methylated in nonosteogenic cell lines. Treatment of C2C12 cells with 5-AzadC induced dose- and time-dependent expression of Dlx5 and Osx mRNA by demethylating the corresponding promoters. Furthermore the mRNAs for the osteoblast markers ALP and OC, which were undetectable in untreated cells, gradually increased after 5-AzadC treatment. In addition, BMP-2 stimulation induced Dlx5 expression by hypomethylating its promoter. These findings suggest that DNA methylation plays an important role in cell type-specific expression of Dlx5 and Osx.
Related Concept Videos
Epigenetic Regulation
Epigenetic Regulation
X-chromosome...
Master Transcription Regulators
Dosage Compensation
In addition to sexual development, the X chromosome has genes involved in autosomal functions such as brain development and the immune system. Therefore, males and females with distinct numbers of X chromosomes will have...
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Position-effect Variegation

