Qian Dong, Radde-Gallwitz Kristen, Kelly Michael, Tyrberg Björn, Kim Jaesang, Gao Wei-Qiang, Chen Ping
Department of Cell Biology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA.
Dev Dyn. 2006 Jun;235(6):1689-700. doi: 10.1002/dvdy.20736.
The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene Hes6 is known to promote neural differentiation in vitro. Here, we report the expression and functional studies of Hes6 in the inner ear. The expression of Hes6 appears to be parallel to that of Math1 (also known as Atoh1), a bHLH gene necessary and sufficient for hair cell differentiation. Hes6 is expressed initially in the presumptive hair cell precursors in the cochlea. Subsequently, the expression of Hes6 is restricted to morphologically differentiated hair cells. Similarly, the expression of Hes6 in the vestibule is in the hair cell lineage. Hes6 is dispensable for hair cell differentiation, and its expression in inner ear hair cells is abolished in the Math1-null animals. Furthermore, the introduction of Hes6 into the cochlea in vitro is not sufficient to promote sensory or neuronal differentiation. Therefore, Hes6 is downstream of Math1 and its expression in the inner ear delineates the sensory lineage. However, the role of Hes6 in the inner ear remains elusive.
已知基本螺旋-环-螺旋(bHLH)基因Hes6在体外可促进神经分化。在此,我们报告Hes6在内耳中的表达及功能研究。Hes6的表达似乎与Math1(也称为Atoh1)的表达平行,Math1是毛细胞分化所必需且充分的bHLH基因。Hes6最初在耳蜗的假定毛细胞前体中表达。随后,Hes6的表达局限于形态学上分化的毛细胞。同样,Hes6在前庭中的表达也在毛细胞谱系中。Hes6对于毛细胞分化并非必需,且在Math1基因敲除的动物中,其在内耳毛细胞中的表达被消除。此外,在体外将Hes6导入耳蜗不足以促进感觉或神经元分化。因此,Hes6在Math1的下游,其在内耳中的表达描绘了感觉谱系。然而,Hes6在内耳中的作用仍不清楚。