Characterizing the role of Pdgfra in calvarial development.

Background: Mammalian calvarium is composed of flat bones developed from two origins, neural crest, and mesoderm. Cells from both origins exhibit similar behavior but express distinct transcriptomes. It is intriguing to ask whether genes shared by both origins play similar or distinct roles in development.

Deregulated Rac1 Activity in Neural Crest Controls Cell Proliferation, Migration and Differentiation During Midbrain Development.

Mutations in allele are implicated in multiple brain tumors, indicating a rigorous control of Rac1 activity is required for neural tissue normal development and homeostasis. To understand how elevated Rac1 activity affects neural crest cells (NCCs) development, we have generated mice, in which a constitutively active Rac1 mutant is expressed specifically in NCCs derivatives. Our results revealed that augmented Rac1 activity leads to enlarged midbrain and altered cell density, accompanied by increased NCCs proliferation rate and misrouted cell migration.

In vitro and in silico studies on membrane interactions of diverse Capsicum annuum flower γ-thionin peptides.

Thionins are small, cysteine-rich peptides that play an important role in plant defense, primarily through their interactions with membranes. Eight novel γ-thionin peptides (CanThio1-8) were isolated from the flower of Capsicum annuum. Sequence analysis revealed that the peptides cluster into three groups.

Expression pattern of Kmt2d in murine craniofacial tissues.

Formation of the calvaria is a multi-staged process and is regulated by multiple genetic factors. Disruption of normal calvarial development usually causes craniosynostosis, a prevalent birth defect characterized by premature fusion of calvarial bone. Recent studies have identified mutations of KMT2D allele in patients with craniosynostosis, indicating a potential role for Kmt2d in calvarial development.