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Cripto is required for correct orientation of the anterior–posterior axis in the mouse embryo

Nature volume 395, pages 702–707 (1998)Cite this article

Abstract

The anterior–posterior axis of the mouse embryo is established by two distinct organizing centres in the anterior visceral endoderm and the distal primitive streak1,2,3,4,5,6,7. These organizers induce and pattern the head and trunk respectively, and have been proposed to be localized through coordinate cell movements that rotate a pre-existing proximal–distal axis6,8. Here we show that correct localization of both head- and trunk-organizing centres requires Cripto9,10, a putative signalling molecule that is a member of the EGF-CFC gene family11,12. Before gastrulation, Cripto is asymmetrically expressed in a proximal–distal gradient in the epiblast, and subsequently is expressed in the primitive streak and newly formed embryonic mesoderm. A Cripto null mutation generated by targeted gene disruption results in homozygous Cripto−/− embryos that mostly consist of anterior neuroectoderm and lack posterior structures, thus resembling a head without a trunk. Notably, markers of the head organizer are located at the distal end of the embryo, whereas markers of the primitive streak are absent or localized to the proximal side. Our results indicate that Cripto signalling is essential for the conversion of a proximal–distal asymmetry into an orthogonal anterior–posterior axis.

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Figure 1: Expression of Cripto at pre-gastrulation and gastrulation stages.
Figure 2: Targeted disruption of Cripto and characterization of the null phenotype.
Figure 3: Analysis of marker gene expression.
Figure 4: Schematic interpretation of the Cripto mutant phenotype.

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Acknowledgements

We thank C. Abate-Shen, R. Beddington, R. Behringer, E. DeRobertis, A. Joyner, R.Krumlauf, E. Lai, G. Martin, A. McMahon, J. Rossant and C. Wright for gifts of probes and reagents; H.Wang and L. Garrett for technical assistance; and C. Abate-Shen, R. Steward, and members of M.M.S.'s laboratory for advice and comments on the manuscript. This work was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the American Heart Association (J.D.), and by grants from the American Heart Association, the U.S. Army Breast Cancer Research Program, and the NIH (to M.M.S.).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Dept of Pediatrics, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 679 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, 08854, New Jersey, USA

    Jixiang Ding, Lu Yang, Yu-Ting Yan, Nishita Desai & Michael M. Shen

  2. Laboratory of Genetic Disease Resarch, National Human Genome Research Institute, 49 Convent Drive, Bethesda, 20892, Maryland, USA

    Amy Chen & Anthony Wynshaw-Boris

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Correspondence to Michael M. Shen.

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Ding, J., Yang, L., Yan, YT. et al. Cripto is required for correct orientation of the anterior–posterior axis in the mouse embryo. Nature 395, 702–707 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/27215

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