Region-specific and stage-dependent regulation of Olig gene expression and oligodendrogenesis by Nkx6.1 homeodomain transcription factor.

During early neural development, the Nkx6.1 homeodomain neural progenitor gene is specifically expressed in the ventral neural tube, and its activity is required for motoneuron generation in the spinal cord. We report that Nkx6.

Oligodendrocytes can be generated from the local ventricular and subventricular zones of embryonic chicken midbrain.

It is well established that early oligodendrocyte progenitors (OLPs) are induced by Sonic hedgehog (Shh) from the ventral ventricular zone throughout the entire neural axis. Here, we report that OLP cells can also be generated from the dorsal ventricular and subventricular zone in embryonic chicken midbrain at later stages. Concomitantly, a low level of Shh expression is detected in the adjacent ventricular and subventricular zones, implying that oligodendrogenesis in the dorsal midbrain is also regulated by Shh.

[Identification of epitope of 22.6 kDa antigen of Schistosoma japonicum with phage-displayed random peptide library].

Objective: To identify the epitopes of 22.6 kDa antigen of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj22.6).

[Purification and immunogenicity identification of the recombinant protein related with specific IgE against Schistosoma japonicum].

Objective: To purify the specific IgE antibody-related recombinant protein of Schistosoma japonicum and to identify its immunogenicity.

Methods: The recombinant plasmid Sj43B/pGEX-6p-1 was expressed in E. coli BL 21.

Molecular mapping of the origin of postnatal spinal cord ependymal cells: evidence that adult ependymal cells are derived from Nkx6.1+ ventral neural progenitor cells.

Recent studies have suggested that the ependymal cells lining the central canal of postnatal spinal cord possess certain properties of neural stem cells. However, the embryonic origin and developmental potential of the postnatal spinal cord ependymal cells remain to be defined. In this report, we investigated the developmental origin of postnatal spinal ependymal cells by studying the dynamic expression of several neural progenitor genes that are initially expressed in distinct domains of neuroepithelium in young embryos.