Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1-2
pubmed:dateCreated
2002-10-3
pubmed:abstractText
Hair cells (HCs) and supporting cells (SCs) in the auditory epithelium initially arise from a sheet of undifferentiated cells. Although much has been learned about the initial steps leading to the fate determination of HCs and SCs, respectively, little is known about what molecular events 'finalize' cell fate determination. We investigated the role of repressor element-1 (RE-1) silencing transcription factor (REST), whose inactivation is known to be a requirement for a cell to assume a neuronal identity. Here we show by in situ hybridization (ISH) that SCs express REST messenger RNA (mRNA) but sensory HCs lack detectable expression. Using a more sensitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay, however, we detected the presence of a neuron-specific splice variant in the epithelium, suggesting that HCs express REST mRNA at levels too low to be detectable by ISH. In regenerating auditory epithelium, we found that REST mRNA was expressed and upregulated in all remaining cells in the damaged region of the epithelium, consistent with its expression pattern during development prior to neurogenesis. Surprisingly, REST mRNA was also upregulated in SCs in the apical, undamaged region of the epithelium, and readily detectable by ISH in the HCs in this region. This finding suggests that the grossly undamaged region of the epithelium is in fact biochemically altered towards a 'less developed' state. Our results indicate that REST inactivation is an important step in finalizing HC fate in the chick inner ear.
pubmed:grant
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:chemical
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Oct
pubmed:issn
0378-5955
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
172
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
62-72
pubmed:dateRevised
2007-11-15
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
2002
pubmed:articleTitle
REST mRNA expression in normal and regenerating avian auditory epithelium.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Otolaryngology, Children's Hospital-Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, , Boston, MA 02155, USA. david,roberson@tch.harvard.edu
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S., Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't