PUBLICATION

Interplay between Foxd3 and Mitf regulates cell fate plasticity in the zebrafish neural crest

Authors
Curran, K., Lister, J.A., Kunkel, G.R., Prendergast, A., Parichy, D.M., and Raible, D.W.
ID
ZDB-PUB-100518-3
Date
2010
Source
Developmental Biology   344(1): 107-118 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Curran, Kevin, Lister, James A., Parichy, David M., Raible, David
Keywords
Zebrafish, Neural crest, Pigment cell, Cell fate regulation
MeSH Terms
  • Models, Genetic
  • Models, Biological
  • Animals, Genetically Modified
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental*
  • Mutation
  • Melanocytes/cytology
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors/physiology*
  • Phylogeny
  • Cell Lineage
  • Neural Crest/metabolism*
  • Zebrafish
  • Pigmentation
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Animals
  • Zebrafish Proteins/physiology*
  • Microphthalmia-Associated Transcription Factor/physiology*
(all 16)
PubMed
20460180 Full text @ Dev. Biol.
Abstract
Pigment cells of the zebrafish, Danio rerio, offer an exceptionally tractable system for studying the genetic and cellular bases of cell fate decisions. In the zebrafish, neural crest cells generate three types of pigment cells during embryogenesis: yellow xanthophores, iridescent iridophores and black melanophores. In this study, we present evidence for a model whereby melanophores and iridophores descend from a common precursor whose fate is regulated by an interplay between the transcription factors Mitf and Foxd3. Loss of mitfa, a key regulator of melanophore development, resulted in supernumerary ectopic iridophores while loss of foxd3, a mitfa repressor, resulted in fewer iridophores. Double mutants showed a restoration of iridophores, suggesting that one of Foxd3's roles is to suppress mitfa to promote iridophore development. Foxd3 co-localized with pnp4a, a novel marker of early iridophore development, and was necessary for its expression. A considerable overlap was found between iridoblast and melanoblast markers but not xanthoblast markers, which resolved as cells began to differentiate. Cell lineage analyses using the photoconvertible marker, EosFP, revealed that both melanophores and iridophores develop from a mitfa+ precursor. Taken together, our data reveal a Foxd3/mitfa transcriptional switch that governs whether a bi-potent pigment precursor will attain either an iridophore or a melanophore fate.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Figure Gallery (10 images)
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Expression
Phenotype
Fish Conditions Stage Phenotype Figure
foxd3zdf10/zdf10 (AB)standard conditionsLong-pec
mitfaw2/w2 (AB)standard conditionsLong-pec
mitfaw2/w2 (AB)standard conditionsLong-pec
mitfaw2/w2 + MO1-foxd3 (AB)standard conditionsLong-pec
mitfaw2/w2; foxd3zdf10/zdf10standard conditionsLong-pec
1 - 5 of 5
Show
Mutations / Transgenics
Allele Construct Type Affected Genomic Region
ty82
    		Point Mutation
    w2
      		Point Mutation
      w18TgTransgenic Insertion
        w47TgTransgenic Insertion
          zdf10
            		Small Deletion
            1 - 5 of 5
            Show
            Human Disease / Model
            No data available
            Sequence Targeting Reagents
            Target Reagent Reagent Type
            foxd3MO1-foxd3MRPHLNO
            mitfaMO1-mitfaMRPHLNO
            1 - 2 of 2
            Show
            Fish
            Fish
            AB
            foxd3zdf10/zdf10
            foxd3zdf10/zdf10 (AB)
            ltkty82/ty82 (AB)
            mitfaw2/w2 (AB)
            mitfaw2/w2; foxd3zdf10/zdf10
            mitfaw2/w2 + MO1-foxd3 (AB)
            w18Tg
            w18Tg; w47Tg
            w47Tg (AB)
            1 - 10 of 10
            Show
            Antibodies
            Orthology
            No data available
            Engineered Foreign Genes
            Marker Marker Type Name
            EosEFGEos
            GFPEFGGFP
            1 - 2 of 2
            Show
            Mapping
            No data available
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            Citation
            Curran, K., Lister, J.A., Kunkel, G.R., Prendergast, A., Parichy, D.M., and Raible, D.W. (2010) Interplay between Foxd3 and Mitf regulates cell fate plasticity in the zebrafish neural crest. Developmental Biology. 344(1):107-118.