Many ways to make a gradient

A recent publication1 describes a novel mechanism by which a morphogen gradient might be established. These results concern a gradient of FGF8 expression along the longitudinal axis of the chick embryo with a high level of transcripts at the tail, fading off in an anterior direction. Assaying for in...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:BioEssays 2004-07, Vol.26 (7), p.705-706
Main Authors: Smith, J.C., Gurdon, J.B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Fibroblast Growth Factors - genetics
Fibroblast Growth Factors - metabolism
Morphogenesis
RNA, Messenger - genetics
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
Signal Transduction
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A recent publication1 describes a novel mechanism by which a morphogen gradient might be established. These results concern a gradient of FGF8 expression along the longitudinal axis of the chick embryo with a high level of transcripts at the tail, fading off in an anterior direction. Assaying for intron transcripts, it is shown that fgf8 is transcribed only in the tail cells and that the gradient of fgf8 transcripts is produced by growth and mRNA degradation. This possible mechanism of gradient formation can operate only when growth is involved, as is the case in many examples including the longitudinal axis formation of vertebrates, but is not in some other systems. BioEssays 26:705–706, 2004. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
ISSN:0265-9247
1521-1878
DOI:10.1002/bies.20076