EXPRESSION OF NEUROD1 IN THE DEVELOPING AND ADULT RAT PINEAL GLAND

E. MUÑOZ; M. RATH; Q. SHI; F. MORIN; S. COON; M. MØLLER; D. KLEIN

Los Cocos, Cordoba

Workshop; Latest Concepts in Developmental Biology-TRAVEL AWARD; 2006

Auspiciado por: SDB, IBRO, CONICET, SCYT, UBA, UNC, OLYMPUS

NeuroD1 is a transcription factor known to be expressed in the peripheral and central nervous system, most prominently in the cerebellum and retina. NeuroD1 has been also found to be a key determinant of the fate of specific endocrine cells, including pancreatic â-cells. We report here the discovery that NeuroD1 is strongly expressed in the developing and adult rat pineal gland. Expression in this tissue starts in the 17-day embryo, at which time NeuroD1 is also expressed in the neocortical neuroepithelium, the thalamus, the tectum of the mesencephalon, and the floor of the rhomboid fossa. NeuroD1 expression in the pineal gland increases during the embryonic period and is maintained postnatally at levels similar to those in the cerebellum and retina; in contrast, NeuroD1 expression decreases markedly in non-cerebellar brain regions. Pineal NeuroD1 mRNA levels are similar during the day and night, and do not appear to be influenced by the sympathetic neural input to the gland. The findings of this report point to the possibilities that NeuroD1 influences pinealocyte fate determination and phenotype.