Klf5a in Endoderm Promotes Pharyngeal Cartilage Morphogenesis.

ABSTRACT: Pharyngeal cartilage, derived from neural crest cells (NCCs), undergoes complex morphogenesis driven by signals from the pharyngeal endoderm. However, the molecular mechanisms governing NCC proliferation and differentiation in response to endoderm-derived signals remain poorly understood. Here, we investigate the role of klf5a, a zinc-finger transcription factor expressed in pharyngeal endodermal pouches, in zebrafish pharyngeal cartilage development. Knockdown of klf5a using morpholinos minimally affected cranial NCC specification and migration but significantly impaired their proliferation and differentiation in the pharyngeal region. Notably, klf5a deficiency reduced expression of fgfbp2b, a modulator of FGF signaling, in the pharyngeal endoderm. Co-injection

SUBMITTER: Li W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12652733 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature