The homeodomain transcription factor Ventx2 regulates respiratory progenitor cell number and differentiation timing during Xenopus lung development.

ABSTRACT: Ventx2 is an Antennapedia superfamily/NK-like subclass homeodomain transcription factor best known for its roles in the regulation of early dorsoventral patterning during Xenopus gastrulation and in the maintenance of neural crest multipotency. In this work we characterize the spatiotemporal expression pattern of ventx2 in progenitor cells of the Xenopus respiratory system epithelium. We find that ventx2 is directly induced by BMP signaling in the ventral foregut prior to nkx2-1, the earliest epithelial marker of the respiratory lineage. Functional studies demonstrate that Ventx2 regulates the number of Nkx2-1/Sox9+ respiratory progenitor cells induced during foregut development, the timing and level of surfactant protein gene expression, and proper tracheal-esophageal separation. Our data

SUBMITTER: Rankin SA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10088502 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature