Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 1, 2025
10:25
Real-time Bioluminescence Imaging of Notch Signaling Dynamics during Murine Neurogenesis
Published on: December 12, 2019
7.8K
Hoxb1 Regulates Distinct Signaling Pathways in Neuromesodermal and Hindbrain Progenitors to Promote Cell Survival and
Kristijan Pazur1, Ioannis Giannios1,2, Mathias Lesche3
1Paul Langerhans Institute Dresden (PLID) of Helmholtz Center Munich at the University Clinic Carl Gustav Carus of TU Dresden, Helmholtz Zentrum München, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany.
Stem Cells (Dayton, Ohio)
|March 8, 2022
Summary
Hoxb1 promotes survival and anterior-posterior patterning in mouse embryonic stem cell-derived neuromesodermal progenitors and hindbrain neural progenitors. This study demonstrates Hox gene potential for generating neural populations for transplantation, offering insights for neurodegenerative disease treatments.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Stem Cell Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hox genes are crucial for anterior-posterior (AP) patterning across germ layers during development.
- Understanding Hox gene function in diverse contexts and their in vitro application for cell specification remains incomplete.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of Hoxb1 in mouse embryonic stem cell-derived neuromesodermal progenitors (NMPs) and hindbrain neural progenitors.
- To explore the potential of Hoxb1 in guiding cell specification for therapeutic applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized mouse embryonic stem cells (mES) to derive NMPs and hindbrain neural progenitors.
- Analyzed Hoxb1's effects on gene expression, cell survival, and differentiation pathways.
- Performed orthotopic transplantation of generated progenitors in adult mice.
Main Results:
- Hoxb1 enhanced NMP survival by upregulating FGF signaling and downregulating apoptosis.
- Hoxb1 promoted AP patterning in NMPs and synergized with Sonic hedgehog (Shh) in neural progenitors to specify facial branchiomotorneuron (FBM)-like progenitors.
- Transplanted FBM-like progenitors survived long-term and differentiated into postmitotic neurons.
Conclusions:
- Hoxb1 plays a significant role in NMP survival and neural progenitor patterning.
- Hox gene activity, combined with signaling molecules, can generate specific neural populations for transplantation.
- This approach holds promise for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Related Concept Videos
02:33Hedgehog Signaling Pathway
7.7K
The Hedgehog gene (Hh) was first discovered due to its control of the growth of disorganized, hair-like bristles phenotype in Drosophila, much like hedgehog spines. Hh plays a crucial role in the development of organs and the maintenance of homeostasis in both invertebrates and vertebrates. However, while Drosophila has only one Hh protein, mammals have multiple functional Hedgehog proteins - Sonic (Shh), Desert (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh). All of these homologous proteins have adapted to...
7.7K
01:51Determination
19.5K
During embryogenesis, cells become progressively committed to different fates through a two-step process: specification followed by determination. Specification is demonstrated by removing a segment of an early embryo, “neutrally” culturing the tissue in vitro—for example, in a petri dish with simple medium—and then observing the derivatives. If the cultured region gives rise to cell types that it would normally generate in the embryo, this means that it is specified. In...
19.5K
03:14Notch Signaling Pathway
4.5K
The Notch signaling pathway is a major intracellular signaling pathway that is highly conserved over a broad spectrum of metazoan species. It stands unique from other intracellular signaling mechanisms in animals because notch protein itself acts as the receptor as well as the primary signaling molecule.
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
The Notch gene came into the limelight in 1914 after the discovery that its mutation in Drosophila melanogaster leads to a serrated (or "notched") wing margin phenotype. It was not...
4.5K
01:12Role Of Notch Signalling In Intestinal Stem Cell Renewal
2.2K
Notch signaling was first discovered in Drosophila melanogaster, where it is involved in cell lineage differentiation. Notch signaling regulates the maintenance and differentiation of intestinal stem cells or ISCs by controlling the expression of atonal homolog 1 or Atoh1. Atoh1 directs cells to differentiate into secretory cells.
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
Direct cell-to-cell contact is needed for the activation of Notch signaling. The signal is initiated when a notch ligand binds to a receptor on an adjacent cell, also...
2.2K
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
2.8K
Rapidly dividing tumors, embryos, and wounded tissues require more oxygen than usual, lowering the oxygen concentration in the blood. At low oxygen or hypoxic conditions, an oxygen-sensitive transcription factor called the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 or HIF1 is activated. HIF1 is a dimeric protein of alpha (ɑ) and beta (β) subunits. Under optimal oxygen conditions, HIF1β is present in the nucleus while HIF1ɑ remains in the cytosol. HIF1ɑ is hydroxylated by prolyl...
2.8K
02:54Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway
9.1K
The gene encoding the main signaling molecules of the Wnt signaling pathways (the Wnt proteins) was discovered almost four decades ago by Nüsslein-Volhard and Wieschaus. They identified and originally named the gene "wingless" (wg) after a phenotype discovered during their landmark genetic screen in Drosophila for body pattern defects. At around the same time, another researcher named Harold Varmus found that a murine tumor virus activates the mammalian wg homolog, Int-1, which...
9.1K