Cell research (2003); 13(6):429-442 http://www.cell-research.com REVIEW Msx homeobox gene family and craniofacial development SYLVIA ALAPPAT1, ZUN YI ZHANG1, YI PING CHEN1,2* 1Division of Developmental Biology, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Tulane University, New orleans, LA 70118, USA. E-mail:
[email protected] 2College of Bioengineering, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian Province, China ABSTRACT Vertebrate Msx genes are unlinked, homeobox-containing genes that bear homology to the Drosophila muscle segment homeobox gene. These genes are expressed at multiple sites of tissue-tissue interactions during verte- brate embryonic development. Inductive interactions mediated by the Msx genes are essential for normal craniofacial, limb and ectodermal organ morphogenesis, and are also essential to survival in mice, as manifested by the pheno- typic abnormalities shown in knockout mice and in humans. This review summarizes studies on the expression, regulation, and functional analysis of Msx genes that bear relevance to craniofacial development in humans and mice. Key words: Msx genes, craniofacial, tooth, cleft palate, suture, development, transcription factor, signaling molecule. INTRODUCTION Msx genes have been isolated from a variety of orga- Vertebrate craniofacial organs form from multiple nisms, including ascidians[5, 6], sea urchin[7], zebrafish embryonic tissues including the cranial neural crest [5, 8], frogs[9], birds[10-12], and humans[13]. The mammalian Msx gene family consists of 3 physically derived cells, prechordal mesoderm, and the embryonic unlinked members, named Msx1, Msx2, and Msx3[14, craniofacial ectoderm. Normal craniofacial morphology 15]. Msx3 is only expressed in the dorsal neural tube, in develops as a consequence of complex interactions a pattern resembling that of the prototypical Drosophila between these embryonic tissues, and requires precise msh gene[16, 17].