Anterior VS. Posterior Flashcards
What does convergent extension do
Alters the shape of the developing embryo
What does the prechordal mesoderm do
Secretes Wnt antagonists and BMP antagonists
What does the notochord do
Only secretes BMP antagonists
Example of a Wnt antagonist
Dikkopf
What do organiser cells differentiate into
Prechordal mesoderm and notochord
What is the Wnt signalling concentration gradient
High levels of Wnt the posterior and low levels of Wnt at the anterior
What causes our brain to develop?
Low levels of Wnt signalling caused by Wnt antagonists
What transcriptional factor is upregulated in the brain
Otx2
How do you distinguish spinal chord progenitors
They express HOX genes
Examples of loss of function experiments (to know the ability of the prechordal mesoderm to promote the brain mediated by Wnt antagonists?)
In zebra fish embryos: if you overexpress Wnt antagonists, you will get a bigger brain
If you knock out the gene that encodes a Wnt antagonist in mice, a brain won’t develop
What is controlling HOX genes
Wnt signals
Importance of HOX genes: loss of function experiment
If you knock out HOXa1 and HOXb1, the regions of the hind brain will never form
What do different combinations of HOX genes give rise to
Different combinations of the neural tube
