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Chapter category: Development

Role of PITX2 in the Pituitary Gland

This chapter appears in the following book:

The Molecular Mechanism's of Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome

Edited by: Brad A. Amendt
ISBN: 0-387-26222-9
» Get more information about this book at landesbioscience.com «

Chapter authors:
Hoonkyo Suh, Donna M. Martin, Michael A. Charles, Igor O. Nasonkin, Philip J. Gage and Sally A. Camper


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The pituitary gland is a neuroendocrine organ composed of specialized peptide hormone-producing cells that control many bodily functions. Pituitary development depends on the combined activity of extrinsic signaling molecules and intrinsic transcription factors. One of the earliest acting transcription factors in pituitary development is PITX2, a homeobox transcription factor required for expansion of the pituitary primordium, Rathke’s pouch. Analysis of an allelic series in mice revealed that pituitary gland size and the specification of individual pituitary cell types are also dependent upon Pitx2, and this dependence is sensitive to Pitx2 gene dosage. Mechanistically this pituitary phenotype results from the inability of low levels of PITX2 to activate gene expression of several lineage specific transcription factors, such as Gata2, Sf1 (Nr5a1), Egr1 and Pit1. Our understanding of Pitx2 gene dosage effects on pituitary development suggests a basis for dosage sensitive defects in other organs of Rieger syndrome patients. In addition, analysis of the allelic series in mice raises the possibility of gonadotropin and PIT1 lineage defects in individuals with loss of PITX2 function.

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Additional chapters from this book:

Role of PITX2 in the Pituitary Gland

Hoonkyo Suh, Donna M. Martin, Michael A. Charles, Igor O. Nasonkin, Philip J. Gage and Sally A. Camper

The pituitary gland is a neuroendocrine organ composed of specialized peptide hormone-producing cells that control many bodily functions. Pituitary development depends on the combined activity of ex...

An Overview of Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome and the Anterior Segment Developmental Disorders

Brad A. Amendt

The preceding chapters have described the current research on the genetic, molecular and biochemical basis for Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS). They also provided infor mation on anterior segment dis...

The Role of PITX2 in Tooth Development

Brad A. Amendt

The transcriptional mechanisms underlying tooth development are only beginning to be understood. Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) patients provided the first link of PITX2 to tooth development. ARS pa...

The Molecular and Biochemical Basis of Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome

Brad A. Amendt

Mutations in the PITX2 homeobox gene are associated with Axenfeld-Rieger syn drome (ARS) and provided the first link of this transcription factor to tooth, eye, heart, and pituitary development. We ...

Rieger Syndrome and PAX6 Deletion

Ruth Riise

Rieger syndrome is a rare autosomal dominant inherited disorder mainly characterized by congenital anomalies of the anterior segment of the eye, the teeth and the skin around umbilicus.1 The anomaly...

Expression and Function of Pitx2 in Chick Heart Looping

Xueyan Yu, Shusheng Wang and YiPing Chen

Rightward looping of the straight heart tube, a vital process for the formation of multichambered heart, is the first morphological manifestation of left-right (L-R) asymme try during vertebrate emb...

The Multiple Roles of Pitx2 in Heart Development

James F. Martin

PITX2 is a paired-related homeobox gene that has been shown to be the mutated gene in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS). The focus of this chapter will be to review recent studies that address the role...

PITX Genes and Ocular Development

Elena V. Semina

The anterior segment of the vertebrate eye is a complex arrangement of interdependent tissues of different embryonic origins. Despite its critical role in normal vision, rela tively little is curren...

Winged Helix/Forkhead Transcription Factors and Rieger Syndrome

Darryl Y. Nishimura and Ruth E. Swiderski

A second locus for Rieger syndrome (RS) was identified from chromosomal abnormali ties involving chromosome 6p25. Study of the breakpoint revealed mutations in the forkhead transcription factor (FOX...

Identification of the Gene Involved in 4q25-Linked Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome PITX2

Elena V. Semina

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder. ARS is consid ered to be fully penetrant, but variable expressivity was reported in families. The three cardinal features of ARS...


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