The generation of noradrenergic sympathetic neurons is controlled by BMPs and the downstream transcription factors Mash1, Phox2b, Phox2a and dHand. We examined the role of these signals in developing cholinergic parasympathetic neurons. The expression of Mash1 (Cash1), Phox2band Phox2a in the chick ciliary ganglion is followed by the sequential expression of panneuronal, noradrenergic and cholinergic marker genes. BMPs are expressed at the site where ciliary ganglia form and are essential and sufficient for ciliary neuron development. Unlike sympathetic neurons, ciliary neurons do not express dHand; noradrenergic gene expression is eventually lost but can be maintained by ectopic dHand expression. Together, these results demonstrate a common BMP dependence of sympathetic neurons and parasympathetic ciliary neurons and implicate dHand in the maintenance of noradrenergic gene expression in the autonomic nervous system.
History of our journals
As our publisher, The Company of Biologists, turns 100 years old, read about Development’s journey and highlights from some its first issues, and explore the history of each of our sister journals: Journal of Cell Science, Journal of Experimental Biology, Disease Models & Mechanisms and Biology Open.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues
Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 15 May 2025.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology
In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
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