A conserved role for Notch signaling in priming the cellular response to Shh through ciliary localisation of the key Shh transducer Smo.

Notochord-derived Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) is essential for dorsoventral patterning of the overlying neural tube. Increasing concentration and duration of Shh signal induces progenitors to acquire progressively more ventral fates. We show that Notch signalling augments the response of neuroepithelial cells to Shh, leading to the induction of higher expression levels of the Shh target gene Ptch1 and subsequently induction of more ventral cell fates.

Knockout of ERK5 causes multiple defects in placental and embryonic development.

Background: ERK5 is a member of the mitogen activated protein kinase family activated by certain mitogenic or stressful stimuli in cells, but whose physiological role is largely unclear.

Results: To help determine the function of ERK5 we have used gene targeting to inactivate this gene in mice. Here we report that ERK5 knockout mice die at approximately E10.