MafA transcription factor identifies the early ret‐expressing sensory neurons

Abstract

Dorsal root ganglia proceed from the coalescence of cell bodies of sensory neurons, which have migrated dorsoventrally from the delaminating neural crest. They are composed of different neuronal subtypes with specific sensory functions, including nociception, thermal sensation, proprioception, and mechanosensation. In contrast to proprioceptors and thermonociceptors, little is known about the molecular mechanisms governing the early commitment and later differentiation into mechanosensitive neurons. This is mainly due to the absence of specific molecular markers for this particular cell type. Using knockout mice, we identified the bZIP transcription factor MafA as the first specific marker of a subpopulation of "early c-ret" positive neurons characterized by medium-to-large diameters. This marker will allow further functional characterization of these neurons.

c-Maf Is Required for the Development of Dorsal Horn Laminae III/IV Neurons and Mechanoreceptive DRG Axon Projections

“…1 I, J ). These findings on the expression of MafA and c-Maf in the developing dorsal horn are in line with previous reports (Sakai et al, 1997;Li et al, 2006;Lecoin et al, 2010).…”

NRL and CRX Define Photoreceptor Identity and Reveal Subgroup-Specific Dependencies in Medulloblastoma

“…J. Corbo (Montana et al, 2011). Dioxygenin-labeled riboprobes were synthesized as described previously (Lecoin et al, 2010). After linearization with EcoRI, the sense probe was transcribed by T7 RNA polymerase.…”

B-raf Alternative Splicing Is Dispensable for Development but Required for Learning and Memory Associated with the Hippocampus in the Adult Mouse

“…The overall procedure to generate Δ8b and Δ9b knockout mice was essentially as that described by Lecoin et al . [34]. Briefly, following electroporation of CK35 ES cells, selected recombinant ES cell clones were screened by Southern blotting using 5′ and 3′ external genomic probes as well as a Neo probe, and injected into C57Bl/6 blastocysts.…”

“…For behavioural experiments, the animals were repeatedly backcrossed to obtain pure C57Bl/6 backgrounds. B-raf Δ8b/+ and B-raf Δ9b/+ heterozygotes were obtained by crossing floxed animals either to a PGK-Cre mouse on 129/Sv background or to a ZP3-Cre mouse on C57Bl/6 background [34]–[36].…”