Localization of thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptor and thyrotroph embryonic factor on mouse Chromosome 15

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/46999/1/335_2004_Article_BF00361398.pd

Genetic loci that control the size of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization

Angiogenesis is controlled by a balance between stimulators and inhibitors. We propose that the balance, as well as the general sensitivity of the endothelium to these factors, varies from individual to individual. Indeed, we have found that individual mouse strains have dramatically different responses to growth factor-induced neovascularization. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs), which influence the extent of corneal angiogenesis induced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2), were previously identified by our laboratory. To investigate the genetic contribution to choroidal neovascularization (CNV), a leading cause of blindness, we have undertaken a similar mapping approach to identify QTLs that influence laser-induced CNV in the BXD series of recombinant inbred mouse strains. Composite interval mapping identified new angiogenic QTLs on chromosomes 2 and 19, in addition to confirming our previous corneal neovascularization QTLs of AngVq1 and AngFq2. The new QTLs are named AngCNVq1 and AngCNVq2. The newly mapped regions contain several candidate genes involved in the angiogenic process, including thrombospondin 1, delta-like 4, BclII modifying factor, phospholipase C, beta 2, adrenergic receptor, beta 1, actin-binding LIM protein 1 and colony stimulating factor 2 receptor, alpha. Differences in these regions may control individual susceptibility to CNV.—Nakai, K., Rogers, M. S., Baba, T., Funakoshi, T., Birsner, A. E., Luyindula, D. S., D’Amato, R. J. Genetic loci that control the size of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization

Identification of mammalian noggin and its expression in the adult nervous system

The multiple roles of noggin during dorsal fate specification in Xenopus embryos, together with noggin's ability to directly induce neural tissue, inspired an effort to determine whether a similar molecule exists in mammals. Here we describe the identification of human and rat noggin and explore their expression patterns; we also localize the human NOGGIN gene to chromosome 17q22, and the mouse gene to a syntenic region of chromosome 11. Mammalian noggin is remarkably similar in its sequence to Xenopus noggin, and is similarly active in induction assays performed on Xenopus embryo tissues. In the adult mammal, noggin is most notably expressed in particular regions of the nervous system, such as the tufted cells of the olfactory bulb, the piriform cortex of the brain, and the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum, suggesting that one of the earliest acting neural inducers also has important roles in the adult nervous system