Intrastriatal sonic hedgehog injection increases Patched transcript levels in the adult rat subventricular zone.

The morphogen sonic hedgehog (Shh) is implicated in neural tissue patterning and the growth of brain structures during embryogenesis and postnatal development and is also present in the adult brain. Shh signals through interaction with the tumour suppressor Patched (Ptc). This receptor for Shh is associated with Smoothened (Smo), a protein with high homology to the G-protein coupled receptors.

Sonic Hedgehog signalling in the developing and adult brain.

Sonic Hedgehog (Shh) belongs to a family of secreted polypeptides implicated in embryonic development. Shh displays inductive, proliferative, neurotrophic and neuroprotective activities on various neural cells and signals through a receptor complex associating Patched (Ptc) and Smoothened (Smo). Shh binding to Ptc leads to downstream activation of target genes, such as transcription factors of the Gli family.

Distribution of bone morphogenetic protein and bone morphogenetic protein receptor transcripts in the rodent nervous system and up-regulation of bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II in hippocampal dentate gyrus in a rat model of global cerebral ischemia.

Bone morphogenetic proteins belong to the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily and act through serine/threonine kinase type I and type II receptors such as bone morphogenetic protein receptor type I and type II. In order to further understand the roles that these factors exert in the nervous system, we have examined the expression pattern of seven bone morphogenetic proteins and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type I and II transcripts in the brain and spinal cord of rodent. Whereas bone morphogenetic protein receptor type I expression was low in rat brain, in situ hybridization studies performed with specific digoxigenin-labelled riboprobes revealed the presence of bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II-positive cells throughout the brain, with a notable localization in dopaminergic cells of the substantia nigra.

Discrete localizations of hedgehog signalling components in the developing and adult rat nervous system.

Sonic hedgehog (Shh), a morphogen molecule implicated in embryonic tissue patterning, displays inductive, proliferative, neurotrophic and neuroprotective activities on various neural cells. Shh might exert its biological functions through binding to patched (Ptc) associated with smoothened (Smo), leading to downstream activation of target genes such as the transcription factor Gli1. We have performed a detailed localization of cells expressing transcripts of Shh, Ptc, Smo and Gli1 in brain and spinal cord of the adult rat as well as in the developing cerebellum.

Regional distribution of Sonic Hedgehog, patched, and smoothened mRNA in the adult rat brain.

In vertebrates, Sonic Hedgehog (Shh), Desert Hedgehog (Dhh), and Indian Hedgehog (Ihh) genes encode a family of morphogen proteins that are implicated in a wide range of signaling activities, particularly during embryonic development. These secreted proteins are proposed to mediate their effects on target cells by interacting with their putative receptor, Patched (Ptc), and with a seven-pass transmembrane protein, Smoothened (Smo). However, the roles that these signaling molecules may play in adult tissues, particularly in brain, are not yet clearly defined.