PUBLICATION

hgf/c-met expression and functional analysis during zebrafish embryogenesis

Authors
Latimer, A.J., and Jessen, J.R.
ID
ZDB-PUB-081203-18
Date
2008
Source
Developmental Dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists   237(12): 3904-3915 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Jessen, Jason R., Latimer, Andrew
Keywords
hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), Met, liver development, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/embryology
  • Embryo, Nonmammalian/metabolism
  • Embryonic Development*/genetics
  • Endoderm/embryology
  • Endoderm/metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor/genetics
  • Hepatocyte Growth Factor/metabolism*
  • Kidney Tubules/embryology
  • Kidney Tubules/metabolism
  • Liver/embryology
  • Liver/metabolism
  • Male
  • Motor Neurons/metabolism
  • Nodal Protein/metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met/genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-met/metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Zebrafish/embryology*
  • Zebrafish/genetics
  • Zebrafish/metabolism*
PubMed
19035351 Full text @ Dev. Dyn.
Abstract
Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor tyrosine kinase Met are linked to several processes underlying vertebrate development and cancer progression. Here, we characterized the expression of zebrafish c-met, hgf1, and hgf2 from cleavage stages through organogenesis and initiated an analysis of Met signaling. We identified c-met as a marker of endoderm and demonstrated that its expression can be activated downstream of Nodal. Injection of c-met mRNA drives expression of the endodermal gene sox17. During gastrulation, hgf1 transcripts are visible in mesendodermal cells along the midline. Later, c-met is expressed in kidney, islet2-positive neurons, and liver. We show that hgf1 is transcribed during gastrulation while hgf1 and hgf2 are detectable in pharyngeal arches and swim bladder. Similar to mouse, knockdown of zebrafish Met reduces liver size. Our results suggest a role for Met during endoderm specification and indicate that mechanisms of liver development are conserved between mammals and bony fish.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping