T-box (Tbx) genes are a family of transcription factors that are differentially expressed within the limb buds of the embryo. Transcription factors bind DNA and can activate or inhibit new gene expression.
Tbx5 is thought also to have a major role in heart and blood vessel development (More? Cardiovascular Development) with connexin 40 (Cx40), a Tbx5-regulated gap junction component.
Page Links: Introduction | Some Recent Findings |Limb Identity | Cardiovascular Development | Database Links | WWW Links | References | Glossary
Pizard A, Burgon PG, Paul DL, Bruneau BG, Seidman CE, Seidman JG. Connexin 40, a target of transcription factor Tbx5, patterns wrist, digits, and sternum. Mol Cell Biol. 2005 Jun;25(12):5073-83. "....demonstrate that mice deficient in connexin 40 (Cx40), a Tbx5-regulated gap junction component, shared axial and appendicular skeletal malformations"
Mouse expression studies have identified the localised expression of T-box (Tbx) genes in the limbs:
A recent Tbx5 knockout study in mice has mimicked heart abnormalities seen in the rare human disease Holt-Oram Syndrome. Bruneau BG, Nemer G, Schmitt JP, Charron F, Robitaille L, Caron S, Conner DA, Gessler M, Nemer M, Seidman CE, Seidman JG. A murine model of Holt-Oram syndrome defines roles of the T-box transcription factor Tbx5 in cardiogenesis and disease. Cell. 2001 Sep 21;106(6):709-21.
Yamada M, Revelli JP, Eichele G, Barron M, Schwartz RJ. Expression of chick Tbx-2, Tbx-3, and Tbx-5 genes during early heart development: evidence for BMP2 induction of Tbx2. Dev Biol. 2000 Dec 1;228(1):95-105.
Zhang Z, Cerrato F, Xu H, Vitelli F, Morishima M, Vincentz J, Furuta Y, Ma L, Martin JF, Baldini A, Lindsay E. Tbx1 expression in pharyngeal epithelia is necessary for pharyngeal arch artery development. Development. 2005 Dec;132(23):5307-15.
Links: Journals | Online Textbooks | Search Textbooks | PubMed | Search PubMed | Glossary
Molecular Biology of the Cell (4th Edn) Alberts, Bruce; Johnson, Alexander; Lewis, Julian; Raff, Martin; Roberts, Keith; Walter, Peter. New York: Garland Publishing; 2002.
Developmental Biology (6th Edn) Gilbert, Scott F. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates, Inc.; c2000.
Search NLM Online Textbooks- "Tbx" : Molecular Biology of the Cell | Molecular Cell Biology | The Cell- A molecular Approach
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Articles
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Search April 2006 "Tbx" 78 reference articles of which 5 were reviews.
Search PubMed: term = Tbx
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Signaling during development, though complex, can also be grouped into a few specific classes. These mechanisms have also been listed and described briefly on Signaling Mechanisms Introduction page.
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This section of notes introduces the topic of signaling factors which establish body patterns in multicellular organisms.
Molecular mechanisms of development is an exciting area and requires a variety of different skills. This page introduces only a few examples and should give you a feel for the topic.
Please email Dr Mark Hill if you wish to make a comment about this current project.