Joseph EM, Melton DA. Xnr4: a Xenopus nodal-related gene expressed in the Spemann organizer. Dev Biol. 1997 Apr 15; 184(2):367-72.

Citation

Joseph EM, Melton DA. 1997. Xnr4: a Xenopus nodal-related gene expressed in the Spemann organizer. Developmental biology. 184(2):367-72. Pubmed: 9133442

Abstract

We have isolated a novel TGF beta-like gene from Xenopus which is highly related to mouse nodal The gene, Xnr4, is expressed at the gastrula stage in the Spemann organizer and at later stages in the notochord and neural tube. Ectopic expression of Xnr4 can induce and dorsalize mesoderm. These studies suggest that Xnr4, along with other nodal-related genes (Xnr1-3), may participate in mesodermal patterning and possibly neural development.

Related Faculty

Douglas Melton, Ph.D.

Doug Melton is pursuing a cure for type 1 diabetes. His lab studies the developmental biology of the pancreas, using that information to grow and develop pancreatic cells (islets of Langerhans). In parallel, they investigate ways to protect beta cells from autoimmune attack.