Lhx2 is required for patterning and expansion of a distinct progenitor cell population committed to eye development.

ABSTRACT: Progenitor cells committed to eye development become specified in the prospective forebrain and develop subsequently into the optic vesicle and the optic cup. The optic vesicle induces formation of the lens placode in surface ectoderm from which the lens develops. Numerous transcription factors are involved in this process, including the eye-field transcription factors. However, many of these transcription factors also regulate the patterning of the anterior neural plate and their specific role in eye development is difficult to discern since eye-committed progenitor cells are poorly defined. By using a specific part of the Lhx2 promoter to regulate Cre recombinase expression in transgenic mice we have been able to define a distinct progenitor cell population in the forebrain solely commit

SUBMITTER: Hagglund AC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3158764 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature