Foxd3 is an essential Nodal-dependent regulator of zebrafish dorsal mesoderm development.

ABSTRACT: Establishment of the embryonic mesoderm is dependent on integration of multiple signaling and transcriptional inputs. We report that the transcriptional regulator Foxd3 is essential for dorsal mesoderm formation in zebrafish, and that this function is dependent on the Nodal pathway. Foxd3 gain-of-function results in expanded dorsal mesodermal gene expression, including the Nodal-related gene cyclops, and body axis dorsalization. Foxd3 knockdown embryos displayed reduced expression of cyclops and mesodermal genes, axial defects similar to Nodal pathway loss-of-function, and Nodal pathway activation rescued these phenotypes. In MZoep mutants inactive for Nodal signaling, Foxd3 did not rescue mesoderm formation or axial development, indicating that the mesodermal function of Foxd3 is dependen

SUBMITTER: Chang LL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2866760 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature