The EJC component Magoh regulates proliferation and expansion of neural crest-derived melanocytes.

ABSTRACT: Melanoblasts are a population of neural crest-derived cells that generate the pigment-producing cells of our body. Defective melanoblast development and function underlies many disorders including Waardenburg syndrome and melanoma. Understanding the genetic regulation of melanoblast development will help elucidate the etiology of these and other neurocristopathies. Here we demonstrate that Magoh, a component of the exon junction complex, is required for normal melanoblast development. Magoh haploinsufficient mice are hypopigmented and exhibit robust genetic interactions with the transcription factor, Sox10. These phenotypes are caused by a marked reduction in melanoblast number beginning at mid-embryogenesis. Strikingly, while Magoh haploinsufficiency severely reduces epidermal melanoblast

SUBMITTER: Silver DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3710740 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature