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Pax7 is required for establishment of the xanthophore lineage in zebrafish embryos

The pigment pattern of many animal species is a result of the arrangement of different types of pigment-producing chromatophores. The zebrafish has three different types of chromatophores: black melanophores, yellow xanthophores, and shimmering iridophores arranged in a characteristic pattern of gol...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Nord, Hanna, Dennhag, Nils, Muck, Joscha, von Hofsten, Jonas
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: The American Society for Cell Biology 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4884075/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27053658
http://dx.doi.org/10.1091/mbc.E15-12-0821
Descripción
Sumario:The pigment pattern of many animal species is a result of the arrangement of different types of pigment-producing chromatophores. The zebrafish has three different types of chromatophores: black melanophores, yellow xanthophores, and shimmering iridophores arranged in a characteristic pattern of golden and blue horizontal stripes. In the zebrafish embryo, chromatophores derive from the neural crest cells. Using pax7a and pax7b zebrafish mutants, we identified a previously unknown requirement for Pax7 in xanthophore lineage formation. The absence of Pax7 results in a severe reduction of xanthophore precursor cells and a complete depletion of differentiated xanthophores in embryos as well as in adult zebrafish. In contrast, the melanophore lineage is increased in pax7a/pax7b double-mutant embryos and larvae, whereas juvenile and adult pax7a/pax7b double-mutant zebrafish display a severe decrease in melanophores and a pigment pattern disorganization indicative of a xanthophore- deficient phenotype. In summary, we propose a novel role for Pax7 in the early specification of chromatophore precursor cells.