PATTERNING MECHANISMS CONTROLLING VERTEBRATE LIMB DEVELOPMENT

Vertebrate limb buds are embryonic structures for which much molecular and cellular data are known regarding the mechanisms that control pattern formation during development. Specialized regions of the developing limb bud, such as the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA), the apical ectodermal ridge (A...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annual review of cell and developmental biology 2001-01, Vol.17 (1), p.87-132
Main Authors: Capdevila, Javier, Belmonte, Juan Carlos Izpisúa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AER
Animals
BMP
Body Patterning - genetics
Cell Differentiation - genetics
Ectoderm
Embryonic Induction
Epithelium - embryology
Extremities - embryology
FGF
Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
Hedgehog
Hedgehog protein
Hedgehog Proteins
limb
morphogen
Organizers, Embryonic
pattern formation
regeneration
secreted factors
Signal Transduction
Trans-Activators - genetics
vertebrate development
WNT
Wnt protein
ZPA
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:Vertebrate limb buds are embryonic structures for which much molecular and cellular data are known regarding the mechanisms that control pattern formation during development. Specialized regions of the developing limb bud, such as the zone of polarizing activity (ZPA), the apical ectodermal ridge (AER), and the non-ridge ectoderm, direct and coordinate the development of the limb bud along the anterior-posterior (AP), dorsal-ventral (DV), and proximal-distal (PD) axes, giving rise to a stereotyped pattern of elements well conserved among tetrapods. In recent years, specific gene functions have been shown to mediate the organizing and patterning activities of the ZPA, the AER, and the non-ridge ectoderm. The analysis of these gene functions has revealed the existence of complex interactions between signaling pathways operated by secreted factors of the HH, TGF-β/BMP, WNT, and FGF superfamilies, which interact with many other genetic networks to control limb positioning, outgrowth, and patterning. The study of limb development has helped to establish paradigms for the analysis of pattern formation in many other embryonic structures and organs.
ISSN:1081-0706
1530-8995
DOI:10.1146/annurev.cellbio.17.1.87