851 Pax genes and their roles in cell differentiation and development Ahmed Mansouri*, Marc Hallonetl and Peter Gruss Members of the Pax gene family are expressed in various and in human aniridia [13]; in all of these, eye defects tissues during ontogenesis. Evidence for their crucial role are displayed. Pax2 is expressed during eye and kidney in morphogenesis, organogenesis, cell differentiation and development [14] and is mutated in a human family with oncogenesis is provided by rodent mutants and human kidney and eye abnormalities [15]. Pax genes clearly play diseases. Additionally, recent experimental in vivo and in vitro important roles during the formation of many structures. approaches have led to the identification of molecules that Furthermore, deregulated expression of Pax genes may interact with Pax proteins. lead to oncogenesis [16-18]. In this review, we focus on recent data documenting the Addresses role of Pax genes, and the interaction of the Pax proteins Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg 11, D-37077 G/Sttingen, with other transcription factors, in the development of the Germany nervous system, in organogenesis and in cell proliferation *e-mail:
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[email protected] Pax genes in the central nervous system Current Opinion in Cell Biology 1996, 8:851-857 The roles of Pax genes are particularly documented at © Current Biology Lid ISSN 0955-0674 the level of the nervous system, which consequently may represent a model for the study of the function of the Pax Abbreviations BMP bone morphogenetic protein genes.