High impact information on Msx3

• Interestingly, the expression of the endogenous Msx-2 was reduced, whereas that of Msx-3 was activated in differentiating Smad4(-/-) ES cells relative to wild-type cells [1].
• Msx3: a novel murine homologue of the Drosophila msh homeobox gene restricted to the dorsal embryonic central nervous system [2].
• RNA in situ analysis of Msx3 gene expression during early development revealed that it is restricted to the dorsal portion of the neural tube with a rostral boundary in the rostral rhombencephalon [2].
• To determine if Bmp-4 could activate Msx-3, we incubated embryonic hindbrain explants with exogenous Bmp-4 [3].
• The murine homeobox gene Msx-3 shows highly restricted expression in the developing neural tube [3].

Biological context of Msx3

• We have isolated Msx3, the third member of the murine Msx homeobox gene family which is homologous to the msh gene of Drosophila [2].
• The mechanism of biogenesis and potential function of the two alternatively spliced mRNAs encoded by the murine Msx3 gene [4].
• To elucidate how Msx3 gene generates the two transcripts, we cloned their corresponding cDNAs from an E10.5 mouse embryo cDNA library [4].

Anatomical context of Msx3

• In embryos with 5-8 somites a segmental pattern of expression was observed in the hindbrain, with rhombomeres 3 and 5 lacking Msx-3 while other rhombomeres expressed Msx-3 [3].

Other interactions of Msx3

• The absence of detectable levels of Msx3 expression outside this restricted dorsal region of the developing central nervous system (CNS) is in marked contrast to Msx1 and Msx2, which have extensive expression domains in other embryonic tissues, particularly craniofacial structures and the limbs [2].

References