Zou H, Niswander L
Molecular Biology Program, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Science. 1996 May 3;272(5262):738-41. doi: 10.1126/science.272.5262.738.
Interdigital cell death leads to regression of soft tissue between embryonic digits in many vertebrates. Although the signals that regulate interdigital apoptosis are not known, BMPs--signaling molecules of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily--are expressed interdigitally. A dominant negative type I BMP receptor (dnBMPR-IB) was used here to block BMP signaling. Expression of dnBMPR in chicken embryonic hind limbs greatly reduced interdigital apoptosis and resulted in webbed feet. In addition, scales were transformed into feathers. The similarity of the webbing to webbed duck feet led to studies that indicate that BMPs are not expressed in the duck interdigit. These results indicate BMP signaling actively mediates cell death in the embryonic limb.
在许多脊椎动物中，指间细胞死亡导致胚胎指（趾）间软组织退化。尽管调节指间细胞凋亡的信号尚不清楚，但骨形态发生蛋白（BMPs）——转化生长因子-β超家族的信号分子——在指（趾）间表达。在此使用一种显性负性I型BMP受体（dnBMPR-IB）来阻断BMP信号传导。dnBMPR在鸡胚胎后肢中的表达大大减少了指间细胞凋亡，并导致蹼足形成。此外，鳞片转化为羽毛。这种蹼与鸭蹼足的相似性促使了相关研究，这些研究表明BMPs在鸭的指间并不表达。这些结果表明BMP信号传导在胚胎肢体中积极介导细胞死亡。
