Skip to main content
. 1998 Nov 1;12(21):3394–3407. doi: 10.1101/gad.12.21.3394

Figure 2.

Figure 2

GDF7 promotes the generation of D1A and D1B sensory interneurons. (A–L) In situ hybridization of mouse cervical spinal cord showing the expression of mATH1 (A,E,I), LH2A (B,F,J), and LH2B (C,G,K) during the differentiation of dorsal sensory interneurons. At E10.5 (summarized in D), mATH1 (A) is expressed by neural progenitors adjacent to the roof plate. LH2A (B) and LH2B (C) are co-expressed by neurons at the lateral margins of the mATH1+ progenitor domain. At E11.5 (summarized in H), co-expression of LH2A (F) and LH2B (G) persists in neurons lateral to the mATH1+ progenitors (E), and a group of more ventrally located D1B neurons express LH2B but not LH2A. At E12.5 (summarized in L), expression of LH2A (J) and LH2B (K) has segregated into distinct neuronal populations. Most D1A neurons, which express LH2A alone, are adjacent to the mATH1+ progenitors (I), whereas D1B neurons, which express LH2B alone, are located in the deep dorsal horn. Expression of LH2A and LH2B persists in D1A and D1B neurons until roughly E14.5. (M–P) Confocal images showing mATH1/cATH1 (green) and LH2A/LH2B (red) immunoreactivity in the mouse (M) and in the chick (N–P) spinal cord. Double-labeled cells appear yellow. (M) In the E11.5 mouse spinal cord, LH2A/LH2B immunoreactivity is detected in the most lateral mATH1+ progenitors. In the chick spinal cord, lateral cATH1+ progenitors co-express LH2A and/or LH2B at stage 19 (N), stage 22 (O), and stage 27 (P). Thus, both D1A and D1B neurons appear to derive from mATH1+/cATH1+ progenitors. (Q,R) Stage 10 chick [i] explants cultured for 48 hr with GDF7 generate cATH1+ neural cells ([i] + control supernatant, 0 cells; [i] + GDF7, 526 ± 105 cells; mean ± s.d., n = 4–6 explants). (S,T) chick [i] explants cultured for 48 hr with GDF7 generate LH2A/LH2B-immunoreactive neurons ([i] + control supernatant, 0 cells; [i] + GDF7, 425 ± 88 cells; mean ± s.d., n = 4–6 explants). (U) RT-PCR analysis of LH2A, LH2B, and ribosomal protein S17 gene (control) expression in stage 10 chick [i] explants cultured for 36 hr with COS cell (control) supernatant or supernatant containing GDF7. GDF7 treatment induces expression of both LH2A and LH2B.