High impact information on TBX4

• Ectopic Tbx4 induced ectopic bud formation in the esophagus by activating the expression of Fgf10 [1].
• To analyze the function of Tbx4, we ectopically expressed Tbx4 in the visceral mesoderm of the foregut using in ovo electroporation [1].
• These results suggested that Tbx4 governs multiple processes during respiratory tract development; i.e. the initial endodermal bud formation, respiratory endoderm formation, and septation of the respiratory tract and the esophagus [1].
• To study the mechanisms underlying the chimerism of these additional limbs, we cloned chick Tbx5 and Tbx4 to use as forelimb and hindlimb markers and examined their expression patterns in FGF-induced limb buds [2].
• Among the Tbx2, 3, 4, 5 subfamily, we observed exclusive interaction with Tbx5 and Tbx4 proteins [3].

Anatomical context of TBX4

• The discrete posterior or anterior expression domains in the heart and the exclusive fore- or hindlimb expression of Tbx5 and Tbx4, respectively, suggest common pathways in the heart and limbs [3].
• Surprisingly, chicken LMP-4 expression domains outside those of Tbx5 in the heart led to the discovery of Tbx4 expression in the outflow tract and the right ventricle of this organ [3].
• Tbx4, a member of the T-box transcription factor gene family, was specifically expressed in the visceral mesoderm of the lung primordium [1].

References