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Figure 5 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Figure 5

From: Dactgenes are chordate specific regulators at the intersection of Wnt and Tgf-β signaling pathways

Figure 5

Comparison of Dact gene expression in mouse, chicken Xenopus and zebrafish embryos. (A-C) Lateral views of E9.5 mouse embryos, anterior to the top left; (D,E) of E2.5 (HH17-18) chicken embryos, anterior to the top left; (F,G) of st36 Xenopus laevis embryos, anterior to the left, and (H-M) of 36 hours post fertilization (36hpf) zebrafish embryos, also anterior to the left. The embryos are at the phylotypic stage of vertebrate development; they were assayed for mRNA expression of Dact genes as indicated in the panel. Note that for members of both the Dact1/3 paralog group, as well as for the Dact2/4 paralog group, prominent expression was found in the paraxial mesoderm, craniofacial mesenchyme, pharyngeal arches and cranial ganglia as well as the developing paired limbs/ fins (for the chicken; this expression emerges at E3; [31]), suggesting that these are original sites of Dact function. At a number of sites, expression of Dact paralogs overlaps, suggesting that here Wnt and Tgfβ signal transduction is controlled by combinatorial Dact activity. Abbreviations: drg; dorsal root ganglion; ect, surface ectoderm; fl, fore limb bud; hb, hindbrain; hl, hind limb bud; LL, caudal lateral line placode; not; notochord; ov, otic vesicle; pa, pharyngeal arches; pe, proepicardium; psm, presomitic mesoderm; pf, pectoral fin; s, somites; V, trigeminal ganglion; VII, facial ganglion; IX, glossopharyngeal ganglion; the asterisk marks the epibranchial placodes.

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