Tcf3 represses Wnt-β-catenin signaling and maintains neural stem cell population during neocortical development.

ABSTRACT: During mouse neocortical development, the Wnt-β-catenin signaling pathway plays essential roles in various phenomena including neuronal differentiation and proliferation of neural precursor cells (NPCs). Production of the appropriate number of neurons without depletion of the NPC population requires precise regulation of the balance between differentiation and maintenance of NPCs. However, the mechanism that suppresses Wnt signaling to prevent premature neuronal differentiation of NPCs is poorly understood. We now show that the HMG box transcription factor Tcf3 (also known as Tcf7l1) contributes to this mechanism. Tcf3 is highly expressed in undifferentiated NPCs in the mouse neocortex, and its expression is reduced in intermediate neuronal progenitors (INPs) committed to the neuronal fate

SUBMITTER: Kuwahara A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4022625 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature