TY - JOUR T1 - Co-expression of Tbx6 and Sox2 identifies a novel transient neuromesoderm progenitor cell state. JF - Development Y1 - 2017 A1 - Javali, Alok A1 - Misra, Aritra A1 - Leonavicius, Karolis A1 - Acharyya, Debalina A1 - Vyas, Bhakti A1 - Sambasivan, Ramkumar KW - Animals KW - Body Patterning KW - Cell Differentiation KW - Cell Lineage KW - Embryonic Stem Cells KW - Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental KW - Mesoderm KW - Mice KW - Mice, Transgenic KW - Neural Tube KW - SOXB1 Transcription Factors KW - Spinal Cord KW - Transcription Factors AB -

Elongation of the body axis is a key aspect of body plan development. Bipotential neuromesoderm progenitors (NMPs) ensure axial growth of embryos by contributing both to the spinal cord and mesoderm. The current model for the mechanism controlling NMP deployment invokes Tbx6, a T-box factor, to drive mesoderm differentiation of NMPs. Here, we identify a new population of Tbx6 cells in a subdomain of the NMP niche in mouse embryos. Based on co-expression of a progenitor marker, Sox2, we identify this population as representing a transient cell state in the mesoderm-fated NMP lineage. Genetic lineage tracing confirms the presence of the NMP cell state. Furthermore, we report a novel aspect of the documented mutant phenotype, namely an increase from two to four ectopic neural tubes, corresponding to the switch in NMP niche, thus highlighting the importance of function in NMP fate decision. This study emphasizes the function of Tbx6 as a bistable switch that turns mesoderm fate 'on' and progenitor state 'off', and thus has implications for the molecular mechanism driving NMP fate choice.

VL - 144 IS - 24 ER -