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Monodactylous splithand-splitfoot. A malformation occurring in three distinct genetic types.

Monodactyly is a sign of at least 3 different types of autosomal dominant ectrodactyly. In the first type only the 1st and the 5th or only the 5th toes are present on both feet. The trait is fully expressed in all affected children of patients. No skipping of a generation has been observed. Both parents of several affected children may be normal, or one parent may show minor manifestations only. Single strand mutation is suggested as an explanation of these exceptional cases. Monodactyly is seen less frequently in the second type, ectrodactyly, ectodermal dysplasia and cleft lip and palate (the EEC syndrome), than in the first type. The limb defects are more variable. The third type of ectrodactyly shows extreme intrafamilial variability, comprising various degrees of ectrodactyly, monodactyly and adactyly, defects of the ulna and/or of the tibia. Minor manifestations often occur in affected children of patients. Skipping of a generation is not uncommon.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Evidence for antagonism of BMP-4 signals by MAP kinase during Xenopus axis determination and neural specification.

We have previously shown that mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activity is required for neural specification in Xenopus. In mammalian cells, the BMP-4 effector Smad1 is inhibited by phosphorylation at MAP kinase sites (Kretzschmar et al., 1997). To test the hypothesis that MAP kinase inhibits the BMP-4/Smad1 pathway during early Xenopus development, we have generated a Smad1 mutant lacking the MAP kinase phosphorylation sites (M4A-Smad1) and compared the effects of wild-type (WT)- and M4A-Smad1 on axial pattern and neural specification in Xenopus embryos. Although overexpression of either WT- or M4A-Smad1 produced ventralized embryos, at each mRNA concentration, M4A-Smad1 had a greater ventralizing effect than WT-Smad1. Interestingly, overexpression of either form of Smad1 in ventral blastomeres disrupted posterior pattern and morphogenesis; again, more severe defects were produced by expression of M4A-Smad1 than by equal amounts of WT-Smad1. Ectodermal expression of M4A-Smad1 disrupted expression of the anterior neural gene otx2 in vivo and inhibited neural specification in response to endogenous signals in mesoderm-ectoderm recombinates. In contrast, overexpression of WT-Smad1 at identical levels had little effect on either neural specification or otx2 expression. Comparisons of protein levels following overexpression of either WT- or M4A-Smad1 indicate that WT-Smad1 may be slightly more stable than M4A-Smad1; thus, differences in stability cannot account for the increased effectiveness of M4A-Smad1. Our results demonstrate that mutations disrupting the MAPK phosphorylation sites act collectively as a gain-of-function mutation in Smad1 and that inhibitory phosphorylation of Smad1 may be a significant mechanism for the regulation of BMP-4/Smad1 signals during Xenopus development.

Animals↗

Wnt-3a regulates somite and tailbud formation in the mouse embryo.

Amphibian studies have implicated Wnt signaling in the regulation of mesoderm formation, although direct evidence is lacking. We have characterized the expression of 12 mammalian Wnt-genes, identifying three that are expressed during gastrulation. Only one of these, Wnt-3a, is expressed extensively in cells fated to give rise to embryonic mesoderm, at egg cylinder stages. A likely null allele of Wnt-3a was generated by gene targeting. All Wnt-3a-/Wnt-3a- embryos lack caudal somites, have a disrupted notochord, and fail to form a tailbud. Thus, Wnt-3a may regulate dorsal (somitic) mesoderm fate and is required, by late primitive steak stages, for generation of all new embryonic mesoderm. Wnt-3a is also expressed in the dorsal CNS. Mutant embryos show CNS dysmorphology and ectopic expression of a dorsal CNS marker. We suggest that dysmorphology is secondary to the mesodermal and axial defects and that dorsal patterning of the CNS may be regulated by inductive signals arising from surface ectoderm.

Animals↗

Assessment of enamel hypoplasia in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED).

The features of enamel hypoplasia in a small group of patients with autoimmune polyendocrinopathy-candidiasis-ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) are described. Using a recently developed method, the authors evaluated quantitatively the amount of defect in each tooth by measuring the width of the hypoplastic lesions and dividing the value by the crown height. They then assessed the degree of damage in each tooth type (from central incisors to second premolars) and patient. Canines were the most severely affected among maxillary and mandibular teeth, but all tooth types were involved. Analysing both the differences between patients and their age at the beginning of the defect, the authors observe that hypoparathyroidism is not responsible for the onset of enamel hypoplasia in APECED, although it may contribute to the damage.

Adult↗

Emigration of neural crest cells from macaque optic vesicles is correlated with discontinuities in its basement membrane.

It is established that cranial neural crest cells play critical roles in normal development, but the production of neural crest cells from the prosencephalon has received little attention, especially in primates. We therefore investigated the emigration into adjacent mesenchyme of neuroepithelial cells from macaque optic vesicles. Paraffin sections prepared from 13 embryos (Macaca fascicularis) representing developmental stages 10-14 were examined following standard immunoperoxidase staining for laminin and type IV collagen. At stage 10 the optic vesicle basement membrane was closely applied to that of the surface ectoderm except at its posterior border, where it contacted mesenchyme. The basement membrane was continuous and showed no evidence of cell migration. By stage 11 the optic vesicle basement membrane exhibited numerous gaps along its posterior border. These defects were frequently occupied by cells emigrating from the optic vesicle epithelium, as judged by the deflection of basement membrane fragments. Gaps were also seen along the lateral border, where migrating neuroepithelial cells were positioned between the surface ectoderm and optic vesicle. This cell migration appeared to increase during stage 12, with deterioration of all areas of the optic vesicle basement membrane. Basement membranes of the surface ectoderm, adjacent mesencephalon, and telencephalon anlage remained intact. By stage 13 the basement membranes of the optic vesicles were repaired and nearly continuous, with migrating cells rarely seen. Development of the optic cups at stage 14 indicated a near absence of basement membrane defects and emigrating cells.

Animals↗

Salivary gland involvement in hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia.

Ectodermal dysplasias (EDs) are a group of developmental disorders (more than 100) mainly affecting ectodermal tissues and organs. The X-linked hypohidrotic ED (HED) is the most common form of EDs, involving defects in teeth, sweat glands, and hair. In a few reports, HED has been associated with reduced salivary function. In the present case report, a dramatically reduced salivary fluid and acidic proline rich protein production was identified in a 38-year-old man with HED. Computed tomography was performed, revealing that one submandibular gland and both parotid glands were hypoplastic, whereas the right submandibular gland seemed to be absent. These findings are in line with a general developmental disturbance also involving the salivary glands. As salivary tests are inexpensive and easy to perform, it is suggested to routinely evaluate salivary secretion in persons with HED, to prevent a possible negative impact on oral health.

Adult↗

Repression of XMyoD expression and myogenesis by Xhairy-1 in Xenopus early embryo.

Activated Notch-Delta signalling was shown to inhibit myogenesis, but whether and how it regulates myogenic gene expression is not clear. We analyzed the implication of Xenopus hairy-1 (Xhairy-1), a member of the hairy and enhancer-of-split (E(spl)) family that may function as nuclear effector of Notch signalling pathway, in regulating XMyoD gene expression at the initial step of myogenesis. Xhairy-1 transcripts are expressed soon after mid-blastula transition and exhibits overlapping expression with Notch pathway genes such as Delta-1 in the posterior somitic mesoderm. We show that overexpression of Xhairy-1 blocks the expression of XMyoD in early gastrula ectodermal cells treated with the mesoderm-inducing factor activin, and in the mesoderm tissues of early embryos. It inhibits myogenesis and produces trunk defects at later stages. Xhairy-1 also inhibits the expression of the pan-mesodermal marker Xbra, but expression of other early mesoderm markers such as goosecoid and chordin is not affected. These effects require the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domain, as well as a synergy between the central Orange domain and the C-terminus WRPW-Groucho-interacting domain. Furthermore, overexpression in ectodermal cells of Xhairy-1/VP16, in which Xhairy-1 repressor domain is replaced by the activator domain of the viral protein VP16, induces the expression of XMyoD in the absence of protein synthesis. Interestingly, Xhairy-1/VP16 does not induce the expression of Xbra and XMyf5 in the same condition. During neurulation, the expression of XMyoD induced by Xhairy-1/VP16 declines and the expression of muscle actin gene was never detected. These results suggest that Notch signalling through hairy-related genes may specifically regulate XMyoD expression at the initial step of myogenesis in vertebrates.

Animals↗

Neural fold fusion in the cranial region of the chick embryo.

Cranial neural fold fusion in the chick embryo is known to commence in the midbrain region before progressing cranially and caudally to involve the fore- and hindbrain regions, respectively. The two epithelial layers at the tips of the neural folds that participate in fusion are the surface ectoderm and the neuroepithelium. We have examined and compared cranial neural fold fusion in both layers, and our results show that fusion of the neuroepithelial component of the neural folds, unlike that of the surface ectoderm, starts in the caudal portion of the forebrain. Second, contrary to the widely accepted opinion, we have demonstrated that in the hindbrain region, fusion of the neuroepithelial component of the neural folds does not occur. Soon after neural fold apposition, a neuroepithelial eminence appears in rhombomeres 1 and 2, and this, together with other neuroepithelial cells in the dorsal midline of the hindbrain, undergoes massive apoptosis. The absence of neuroepithelial fusion in the hindbrain may be due to the presence of massive apoptosis among neuroepithelial cells that should have participated in the fusion process. The events described above may predispose the hindbrain to the development of neural tube defects. The appearance of cranial neural crest cells in the midline during their migration may enhance the fusion of the surface ectodermal portion of the neural folds.

Animals↗

One-eyed pinhead regulates cell motility independent of Squint/Cyclops signaling.

In vertebrates, EGF-CFC factors are essential for Nodal signaling. Here, we show that the zygotic function of one-eyed pinhead, the zebrafish EGF-CFC factor, is necessary for cell movement throughout the blastoderm of the early embryo. During the blastula and gastrula stages, mutant cells are more cohesive and migrate slower than wild-type cells. Chimeric analysis reveals that these early motility defects are cell-autonomous; later, one-eyed pinhead mutant cells have a cell-autonomous tendency to acquire ectodermal rather than mesendodermal fates. Moreover, wild-type cells transplanted into the axial region of mutant hosts tend to form isolated aggregates of notochord tissue adjacent to the mutant notochord. Upon misexpressing the Nodal-like ligand Activin in whole embryos, which rescues aspects of the mutant phenotype, cell behavior retains the one-eyed pinhead motility phenotype. However, in squint;cyclops double mutants, which lack Nodal function and possess a more severe phenotype than zygotic one-eyed pinhead mutants, cells of the dorsal margin exhibit a marked tendency to widely disperse rather than cohere together. Elsewhere in the double mutants, for cells of the blastoderm and for rare cells of the gastrula that involute into the hypoblast, motility appears wild-type. Notably, cells at the animal pole, which are not under direct regulation by the Nodal pathway, behave normal in squint;cyclops mutants but exhibit defective motility in one-eyed pinhead mutants. We conclude that, in addition to a role in Nodal signaling, One-eyed pinhead is required for aspects of cell movement, possibly by regulating cell adhesion.

Animals↗

The ectodermal dysplasias. Problems of classification and some newer syndromes.

The ectodermal dysplasias are a heterogeneous group of disorders that, in the past, has included conditions best classified as progeroid disorders. The inaccuracy of the terminology has led to a proliferation of syndromes in which the patients are said to have poorly defined "ectodermal dysplasia," and a real need exists to define that appellation further. We suggest that the term "ectodermal dysplasia" be limited to those disorders that are congenital, are diffusely present, are not progressive, and do involve the epidermis and at least one of the appendages. We recognize that a heterogeneous group of disorders remains that generically have certain similarities. Not enough is known about the defects in each of the elements of the skin affected in these conditions to classify them more accurately. Several recently described disorders appear to have some degree of ectodermal dysplasia.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

CFC syndrome: report on three additional cases.

We describe three patients, originating from three different Italian localities, affected by the cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome. In addition to a varying degree of mental retardation, these patients present characteristics consisting of a peculiar face with bitemporal frontal constriction and other anomalies involving the eyes, nose, ears, hair, skin, and heart that are consistent with this diagnosis.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

Lyonization and the lines of Blaschko.

The lines of Blaschko represent a nonrandom developmental pattern of the skin fundamentally differing from the system of dermatomes. Many nevoid skin lesions display an arrangement following these lines. This is a review of case reports providing photographically documented evidence that the lines of Blaschko become manifest in the heterozygous state of various X-linked gene defects such as incontinentia pigmenti, focal dermal hypoplasia, X-linked dominant chondrodysplasia punctata, X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, and Menkes syndrome. Hence, a causal relationship between lyonization and the lines of Blaschko seems quite obvious. Although it should be borne in mind that other genetic mechanisms such as somatic mutations or chimerism may give rise to the same linear pattern, the datable embryologic event of X-inactivation seems most suitable to explain the origin and nature of the lines of Blaschko. Apparently, in women affected with X-linked skin disorders the lines of Blaschko visualize the clonal proliferation of two functionally different populations of cells during early embryogenesis of the skin. The typical dorsal V-shape and the abdominal S-figure of these lines may result from an interference of the transversal coherent proliferation with the longitudinal growth and flexion of the embryo. In contrast to Blaschko's original assumption, it is now clear that these lines are independent from the metameric structure of the human body. Obviously, they represent a marker of the normal development of human skin. Therefore, a thorough study of the distribution pattern of X-linked skin disorders in women may give us a better insight into the early embryogeny of the human integument.

Adult↗

Craniofacial malformations: intrinsic vs extrinsic neural crest cell defects in Treacher Collins and 22q11 deletion syndromes.

The craniofacial complex is anatomically the most sophisticated part of the body. It houses all the major sensory organ systems and its origins are synonymous with vertebrate evolution. Of fundamental importance to craniofacial development is a specialized population of stem and progenitor cells, known as the neural crest, which generate the majority of the bone, cartilage, connective and peripheral nerve tissue in the head. Approximately one third of all congenital abnormalities exhibit craniofacial malformations and consequently, most craniofacial anomalies are considered to arise through primary defects in neural crest cell development. Recent advances however, have challenged this classical dogma, underscoring the influence of tissues with which the neural crest cells interact as the primary origin of patterning defects in craniofacial morphogenesis. In this review we discuss these neural crest cell interactions with mesoderm, endoderm and ectoderm in the head in the context of a better understanding of craniofacial malformations such as in Treacher Collins and 22q11 deletion syndromes.

Chromosome Deletion↗

A new case of isolated trichothiodystrophy.

We describe a new case of isolated trichothiodystrophy. This entity is characterized by sparse and brittle hair, low sulfur hair content, tiger tail pattern of the hair under polarizing microscopy, clean transverse fractures through the hair shaft and absent or defective hair cuticles. To our knowledge there are only two reported cases of isolated trichothiodystrophy without associated additional ectodermal or neuroectodermal dysplasias. Polarized microscopy of cut hair showed transverse fracture points (trichoschisis) and alternating dark and bright bands. Low sulfur content of the hairs was confirmed by amino acid analysis. Many acronyms and eponyms have been created to describe sulfur-deficient brittle hair associated with neuroectodermal abnormalities, leading to confusion. We suggest to use a simple classification scheme, according to increasing severity of associated features as proposed by Van Neste.

Child, Preschool↗

Regulation of ocular lens development by Smad-interacting protein 1 involving Foxe3 activation.

Sip1, a Smad-binding zinc-finger homeodomain transcription factor, has essential functions in embryonic development, but its role in individual tissues and the significance of its interaction with Smad proteins have not been fully characterized. In the lens lineage, Sip1 expression is activated after lens placode induction, and as the lens develops, the expression is localized in the lens epithelium and bow region where immature lens fibers reside. The lens-lineage-specific inactivation of the Sip1 gene was performed using mice homozygous for floxed Sip1 that carry a lens-specific Cre recombinase gene. This caused the development of a small hollow lens connected to the surface ectoderm, identifying two Sip1-dependent steps in lens development. The persistence of the lens stalk resembles a defect in Foxe3 mutant mice, and Sip1-defective lenses lose Foxe3 expression, placing Foxe3 downstream of Sip1. In the Sip1-defective lens, beta-crystallin-expressing immature lens fiber cells were produced, but gamma-crystallin-expressing mature fiber cells were absent, indicating the requirement for Sip1 activity in lens fiber maturation. A 6.2 kb Foxe3 promoter region controlled lacZ transgene expression in the developing lens, where major and minor lens elements were identified upstream of -1.26 kb. Using transfection assays, the Foxe3 promoter was activated by Sip1 and this activation is further augmented by Smad8 in the manner dependent on the Smad-binding domain of Sip1. This Sip1-dependent activation and its augmentation by Smad8 occur using the proximal 1.26 kb promoter, and are separate from lens-specific regulation. This is the first demonstration of the significance of Smad interaction in modulating Sip1 activity.

Animals↗

sucker encodes a zebrafish Endothelin-1 required for ventral pharyngeal arch development.

Mutation of sucker (suc) disrupts development of the lower jaw and other ventral cartilages in pharyngeal segments of the zebrafish head. Our sequencing, cosegregation and rescue results indicate that suc encodes an Endothelin-1 (Et-1). Like mouse and chick Et-1, suc/et-1 is expressed in a central core of arch paraxial mesoderm and in arch epithelia, both surface ectoderm and pharyngeal endoderm, but not in skeletogenic neural crest. Long before chondrogenesis, suc/et-1 mutant embryos have severe defects in ventral arch neural crest expression of dHAND, dlx2, msxE, gsc, dlx3 and EphA3 in the anterior arches. Dorsal expression patterns are unaffected. Later in development, suc/et-1 mutant embryos display defects in mesodermal and endodermal tissues of the pharynx. Ventral premyogenic condensations fail to express myoD, which correlates with a ventral muscle defect. Further, expression of shh in endoderm of the first pharyngeal pouch fails to extend as far laterally as in wild types. We use mosaic analyses to show that suc/et-1 functions nonautonomously in neural crest cells, and is thus required in the environment of postmigratory neural crest cells to specify ventral arch fates. Our mosaic analyses further show that suc/et-1 nonautonomously functions in mesendoderm for ventral arch muscle formation. Collectively our results support a model for dorsoventral patterning of the gnathostome pharyngeal arches in which Et-1 in the environment of the postmigratory cranial neural crest specifies the lower jaw and other ventral arch fates.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Functional involvement of Xenopus homologue of ADF/cofilin phosphatase, slingshot (XSSH), in the gastrulation movement.

ADF/cofilin is a phosphorylation-regulated protein essential for actin filament dynamics in cells. Here, we cloned two cDNAs encoding Xenopus ADF/cofilin (XAC)-specific phosphatase, slingshot (XSSH), one of which contains an extra 15 nucleotides in a coding sequence of the other, possibly generated by alternative splicing. Whole mount in situ hybridization showed XSSH transcripts in the blastopore lip and sensorial ectoderm at stage 11, and subsequently localized to developing brain, branchial arches, developing retina, otic vesicle, cement gland, and spinal chord in neurula to tailbud embryos. Immunostaining of animal-vegetal sections of gastrula embryos demonstrated that both XAC and XSSH proteins are predominant in ectodermal and involuting mesodermal cells. Microinjection of either a wild type (thus induces overexpression) or a phosphatase-defective mutant (functions as dominantly negative form) resulted in defects in gastrulation, and often generated the spina bifida phenotype with reduced head structures. Interestingly, the ratio of phosphorylated XAC to dephosphorylated XAC markedly increased from the early gastrula stage (stage 10.5), although the amount of XSSH protein markedly increased from this stage. These results suggest that gastrulation movement requires ADF/cofilin activity through dynamic regulation of its phosphorylation state.

Actin Depolymerizing Factors↗