The transcription factor six1 inhibits neuronal and promotes hair cell fate in the developing zebrafish (Danio rerio) inner ear.

ABSTRACT: The developmental processes leading to the differentiation of mechanosensory hair cells and statoacoustic ganglion neurons from the early otic epithelium remain unclear. Possible candidates include members of the Pax-Six-Eya-Dach (paired box-sine oculis homeobox-eyes absent-dachshund) gene regulatory network. We cloned zebrafish six1 and studied its function in inner ear development. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments show that six1 has opposing roles in hair cell and neuronal lineages. It promotes hair cell fate and, conversely, inhibits neuronal fate by differentially affecting cell proliferation and cell death in these lineages. By independently targeting hair cells with atoh1a (atonal homolog 1a) knockdown or neurons with neurog1 (neurogenin 1) knockdown, we showed that the remaini

SUBMITTER: Bricaud O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6674689 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature