The mouse Shox2 gene codes for a homeodomain transcription factor that is required to form the proximal bones of the limbs, the humerus and femur. Shox2 is the only gene known to be essential for the specific development of these skeletal elements. Shox2 is also of special interest because it is closely related to the human SHOX gene, deficiencies of which cause the short stature in Turner, Langer and Léri-Weill syndromes. In order to understand in more detail the development of the proximal limb, we searched for Shox2-dependent gene expression patterns using Affymetrix microarrays. We compared the mRNA of Shox2-mutant and wild-type forelimb buds at 10.5 and 11.5 days of embryonic development (E10.5 and E11.5) and successfully identified a set of genes whose wild-type expression pattern requires Shox2 function, as confirmed by in situ hybridization for eleven of the candidates. Strikingly, several of the identified genes were predicted to have functions in tissues other than the skeleton, including nerves and muscle precursors, prompting us to analyze neural and muscular patterning in Shox2 mutants. We report here an axonal migration defect in Shox2 mutants resulting in a profound innervation deficiency of the dorsal forelimb, including the complete absence of the radial and axillary nerves. Muscular development was also altered as early as E11.5. Specifically, the triceps muscles that develop along the posterior face of the humerus had severe abnormalities. These data demonstrate that Shox2 is required for normal skeletal, neural and muscular development in the forelimb at a similar early developmental stage in each tissue.

The growth and development of the vertebrate limb relies on homeobox genes of the Hox and Shox families, with their independent mutation often giving dose-dependent effects. Here we investigate whether Shox2 and Hox genes function together during mouse limb development by modulating their relative dosage and examining the limb for nonadditive effects on growth. Using double mRNA fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in single embryos, we first show that Shox2 and Hox genes have associated spatial expression dynamics, with Shox2 expression restricted to the proximal limb along with Hoxd9 and Hoxa11 expression, juxtaposing the distal expression of Hoxa13 and Hoxd13. By generating mice with all possible dosage combinations of mutant Shox2 alleles and HoxA/D cluster deletions, we then show that their coordinated proximal limb expression is critical to generate normally proportioned limb segments. These epistatic interactions tune limb length, where Shox2 underexpression enhances, and Shox2 overexpression suppresses, Hox-mutant phenotypes. Disruption of either Shox2 or Hox genes leads to a similar reduction in Runx2 expression in the developing humerus, suggesting their concerted action drives cartilage maturation during normal development. While we furthermore provide evidence that Hox gene function influences Shox2 expression, this regulation is limited in extent and is unlikely on its own to be a major explanation for their genetic interaction. Given the similar effect of human SHOX mutations on regional limb growth, Shox and Hox genes may generally function as genetic interaction partners during the growth and development of the proximal vertebrate limb.T HE vertebrate limb is a valuable model for studying the genetic coordination of a complex developing structure. The proximodistal axis of the limb is composed of discrete segments, the growth and development of which are selectively perturbed when individual, or combinations of, homeobox genes are disrupted. In mice, mutations of the paralogous Hox9 and Hox10 genes result in shortened stylopodal elements (containing the humerus and femur) (FromentalRamain et al. 1996a;Wellik and Capecchi 2003), deletions of Hox11 genes result in truncated zeugopodal elements (radius/ ulna and fibula/tibia) (Davis et al. 1995;Wellik and Capecchi 2003), and disruption of Hox13 genes results in agenesis of the autopod (metacarpals/metatarsals and the digits) (FromentalRamain et al. 1996b). Mutation of short stature homeobox (Shox) genes similarly gives rise to the disproportionate shortening of certain limb regions. In humans, loss of SHOX leads to the truncated zeugopod elements found in people with LeriWeill, Turner, and Langer syndromes (Rao et al. 1997;Belin et al. 1998;Shears et al. 1998;Zinn et al. 2002). While rodents have uniquely lost the Shox gene among mammals (Gianfrancesco et al. 2001), disruption of the widely conserved Shox2 gene results in severely shortened stylopodal elements in mice (Cobb et al. 2006). Thus, Hox and Shox gene perturbations each give ...

R-spondins are secreted ligands that bind cell surface receptors and activate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Human mutations and gene inactivation studies in mice have revealed a role for these four proteins (RSPO1-4) in diverse developmental processes ranging from sex determination to limb development. Among the genes coding for R-spondins, only inactivation of Rspo3 shows early embryonic lethality (E10.5 in mice). Therefore, a conditional allele of this gene is necessary to understand the function of R-spondins throughout murine development. To address this need, we have produced an allele in which loxP sites flank exons 2-4 of Rspo3, allowing tissue-specific deletion of these exons in the presence of Cre recombinase. We used these mice to investigate the role of Rspo3 during limb development and found that limbs ultimately developed normally in the absence of Rspo3 function. However, severe hindlimb truncations resulted when Rspo3 and Rspo2 mutations were combined, demonstrating redundant function of these genes.

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FISH is a valid alternative to chromogenic-based ISH for visualizing gene expression in whole mouse embryos. This work provides a framework to add additional fluorescence signals in the mouse such as visualizing both mRNA and protein by pairing the procedure with immunofluorescence.