AP2γ regulates neural and epidermal development downstream of the BMP pathway at early stages of ectodermal patterning.

ABSTRACT: Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) inhibits neural specification and induces epidermal differentiation during ectodermal patterning. However, the mechanism of this process is not well understood. Here we show that AP2γ, a transcription factor activator protein (AP)-2 family member, is upregulated by BMP4 during neural differentiation of pluripotent stem cells. Knockdown of AP2γ facilitates mouse embryonic stem cell (ESC) neural fate determination and impairs epidermal differentiation, whereas AP2γ overexpression inhibits neural conversion and promotes epidermal commitment. In the early chick embryo, AP2γ is expressed in the entire epiblast before HH stage 3 and gradually shifts to the putative epidermal ectoderm during HH stage 4. In the future neural plate AP2γ inhibits excessive neural exp

SUBMITTER: Qiao Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3494389 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature