Vsx-2, a gene encoding a paired-type homeodomain, is expressed in the retina, hindbrain, and spinal cord during goldfish embryogenesis

• Published in: Brain research. Developmental brain research Vol. 109; no. 2; pp. 129 - 135
• Main Authors: Passini, Marco A, Raymond, Pamela A, Schechter, Nisson
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 08.08.1998
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Differentiation; Central nervous system; Development; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - physiology; Genes, Homeobox - genetics; Goldfish - embryology; Goldfish - metabolism; Homeobox genes; Humans; In Situ Hybridization; Ocular retardation; Retina - cytology; Retina - embryology; Rhombencephalon - cytology; Rhombencephalon - embryology; Spinal Cord - cytology; Spinal Cord - embryology; Visual pathway; Zebrafish; Development; Zebrafish; Ocular retardation; Homeobox genes; Visual pathway; Central nervous system
• ISSN: 0165-3806
• DOI: 10.1016/S0165-3806(98)00069-8

Vsx-2 encodes a paired-type homeodomain and is the goldfish ortholog of the murine Chx10 gene. During development, Vsx-2 is expressed at high levels in goldfish and zebrafish retina. In addition to the retina, in situ hybridization studies using whole mount and cryosection embryos demonstrate that Vsx-2 is also expressed in subsets of neurons in the hindbrain and in the spinal cord. Expression begins approximately at the metencephalon–myelencephalon border and continues in a restricted lateral zone along the rostral–caudal axis of the spinal cord. These observations suggest a potential requirement for Vsx-2 in the specification and/or the maintenance of neurons in specific CNS regions during embryogenesis. Also discussed are other transcription factors which may act combinatorially with Vsx-2 to regulate neuronal differentiation.