MicroRNAs couple cell fate and developmental timing in retina.

ABSTRACT: Cell identity is acquired in different brain structures according to a stereotyped timing schedule, by accommodating the proliferation of multipotent progenitor cells and the generation of distinct types of mature nerve cells at precise times. However, the molecular mechanisms coupling the identity of a specific neuron and its birth date are poorly understood. In the neural retina, only late progenitor cells that divide slowly can become bipolar neurons, by the activation of otx2 and vsx1 genes. In Xenopus, we found that Xotx2 and Xvsx1 translation is inhibited in early progenitor cells that divide rapidly by a set of cell cycle-related microRNAs (miRNAs). Through expression and functional screenings, we selected 4 miRNAs--mir-129, mir-155, mir-214, and mir-222--that are highly expressed a

SUBMITTER: Decembrini S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2781736 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature