The question addressed is the role of Hox genes expressed in the rostro-caudal axis, in the Hox gene expression of lateral organs and whether this accounts for the position of the lateral organs. There are three specific aims. First, it is proposed to determine if the axial Hox code is used for positional information in the lateral regions of the embryo.
The second aim i s to fate map the individual somites that form the scapula. From earlier work the Principal Investigator proposes that the dermamyotome rather than the sleratome gives rise to the chondrocytes of the scapula.
The third aim will use targeted misexpression of Hoxa-6, Hoxb-6 and Hoxc-6 into the segmental plate that will give rise to somites 7-14. Full length clones of chick Hoxa-6 and Hoxb-6 will be isolated, RCAS vectors created. Basically this approach will challenge the system to permit insight into how boundaries are established in the cervical region of the embryo.
| Nowicki, Julie L; Takimoto, Ryoko; Burke, Ann Campbell (2003) The lateral somitic frontier: dorso-ventral aspects of anterio-posterior regionalization in avian embryos. Mech Dev 120:227-40 |
| Burke, A C; Nowicki, J L (2003) A new view of patterning domains in the vertebrate mesoderm. Dev Cell 4:159-65 |
| Burke, A C (2000) Hox genes and the global patterning of the somitic mesoderm. Curr Top Dev Biol 47:155-81 |
| Nowicki, J L; Burke, A C (2000) Hox genes and morphological identity: axial versus lateral patterning in the vertebrate mesoderm. Development 127:4265-75 |
