First published online March 23, 2006
Development 133, 802e (2006)
© The Company of Biologists Limited
Distinct mesenchymal domains in the lung?
During embryonic lung development, interacting signalling molecules made by
the developing lung's outer mesothelium, mesenchyme and bronchial epithelium
regulate lung growth and morphogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9),
which is expressed in the mesothelium and epithelium during early lung
development, and sonic hedgehog (SHH), which is expressed only in the
epithelium, are required for both processes. On p.
1507, David Ornitz and
colleagues use Fgf9 loss-of-function and inducible gain-of-function
mouse models to show that FGF9 and SHH signalling coordinate lung growth and
development by regulating two distinct mesenchymal domains. They report that
mesothelium-derived FGF9 signals stimulate proliferation in sub-mesothelial
mesenchyme and that epithelium-derived FGF9 signals regulate SHH signalling in
a distinct sub-epithelial mesenchyme domain; SHH signalling subsequently
regulates cell proliferation and survival, and the expression of
mesenchyme-to-epithelial signals. The researchers' report of distinct
mesenchymal domains in the developing lung, which respond to different
combinations of signalling molecules, is a novel finding that is of relevance
to the study of other developing organs.
Related articles in Development:
- FGF9 and SHH signaling coordinate lung growth and development through regulation of distinct mesenchymal domains
- Andrew C. White, Jingsong Xu, Yongjun Yin, Craig Smith, Gregory Schmid, and David M. Ornitz
Development 2006 133: 1507-1517.
[Abstract]
[Full Text]
