Biomaterial Database

Changes in gene expression during pituitary morphogenesis and organogenesis in the chick embryo. 2011

Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz, and Stacy E Higgins, and Tom E Porter

Department of Animal and Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.

The anterior pituitary gland plays an important role in the regulation of many physiological processes. Formation of Rathke's pouch (RP), the precursor of the anterior pituitary, involves evagination of the oral ectoderm in a multi-step process regulated by cell interactions, signaling pathways, and transcription factors. Chickens are an excellent model to study development because of the availability of large sample sizes, accurate timing of development, and embryo accessibility. The aim of this study was to quantify mRNA expression patterns in the developing chicken anterior pituitary to evaluate the chicken embryo as a model for mammalian pituitary development. The expression profiles of 16 genes differentially expressed in RP and neuroectoderm were determined in this study. Among these, Pitx1, Pitx2, and Hesx1 mRNA levels were high on embryonic days (e) 2.5 to e3 in RP and decreased during development. Expression of Pit1 and Tbx19 mRNA in RP reached the highest levels by e7 and e6.5, respectively. Levels of glycoprotein subunit α mRNA increased beginning at e4. FGF8 mRNA showed the highest expression at e3 to e3.5 in neuroectoderm. BMP2 showed slight decreases in mRNA expression in both tissues during development, while Isl1 and Noggin mRNA expression increased in later development. Taken together, we present the first quantitative transcriptional profile of pituitary organogenesis. Our results will help further understanding of the functional development of this gland. Moreover, because of the high similarity in gene expression patterns observed between chicken and mouse, chickens could serve as an excellent model to study genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying pituitary development.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007150	Immunohistochemistry	Histochemical localization of immunoreactive substances using labeled antibodies as reagents.	Immunocytochemistry,Immunogold Techniques,Immunogold-Silver Techniques,Immunohistocytochemistry,Immunolabeling Techniques,Immunogold Technics,Immunogold-Silver Technics,Immunolabeling Technics,Immunogold Silver Technics,Immunogold Silver Techniques,Immunogold Technic,Immunogold Technique,Immunogold-Silver Technic,Immunogold-Silver Technique,Immunolabeling Technic,Immunolabeling Technique,Technic, Immunogold,Technic, Immunogold-Silver,Technic, Immunolabeling,Technics, Immunogold,Technics, Immunogold-Silver,Technics, Immunolabeling,Technique, Immunogold,Technique, Immunogold-Silver,Technique, Immunolabeling,Techniques, Immunogold,Techniques, Immunogold-Silver,Techniques, Immunolabeling
D010902	Pituitary Gland	A small, unpaired gland situated in the SELLA TURCICA. It is connected to the HYPOTHALAMUS by a short stalk which is called the INFUNDIBULUM.	Hypophysis,Hypothalamus, Infundibular,Infundibular Stalk,Infundibular Stem,Infundibulum (Hypophysis),Infundibulum, Hypophyseal,Pituitary Stalk,Hypophyseal Infundibulum,Hypophyseal Stalk,Hypophysis Cerebri,Infundibulum,Cerebri, Hypophysis,Cerebrus, Hypophysis,Gland, Pituitary,Glands, Pituitary,Hypophyseal Stalks,Hypophyses,Hypophysis Cerebrus,Infundibular Hypothalamus,Infundibular Stalks,Infundibulums,Pituitary Glands,Pituitary Stalks,Stalk, Hypophyseal,Stalk, Infundibular,Stalks, Hypophyseal,Stalks, Infundibular
D010907	Pituitary Hormones	Hormones secreted by the PITUITARY GLAND including those from the anterior lobe (adenohypophysis), the posterior lobe (neurohypophysis), and the ill-defined intermediate lobe. Structurally, they include small peptides, proteins, and glycoproteins. They are under the regulation of neural signals (NEUROTRANSMITTERS) or neuroendocrine signals (HYPOTHALAMIC HORMONES) from the hypothalamus as well as feedback from their targets such as ADRENAL CORTEX HORMONES; ANDROGENS; ESTROGENS.	Hormones, Pituitary
D002642	Chick Embryo	The developmental entity of a fertilized chicken egg (ZYGOTE). The developmental process begins about 24 h before the egg is laid at the BLASTODISC, a small whitish spot on the surface of the EGG YOLK. After 21 days of incubation, the embryo is fully developed before hatching.	Embryo, Chick,Chick Embryos,Embryos, Chick
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D018507	Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control of gene action during the developmental stages of an organism.	Developmental Gene Expression Regulation,Embryologic Gene Expression Regulation,Gene Expression Regulation, Embryologic,Regulation of Gene Expression, Developmental,Regulation of Gene Expression, Embryologic,Regulation, Gene Expression, Developmental,Regulation, Gene Expression, Embryologic

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