Greb1 is required for axial elongation and segmentation in vertebrate embryos

This study presents transcription profiles for mouse axial progenitors, presomitic mesoderm and tailbud mesoderm. During vertebrate embryonic development, the formation of axial structures is driven by a population of stem-like cells (axial progenitors) that reside in a region of the tailbud called the chordoneural hinge (CNH) where. We have compared the CNH transcriptome with those of surrounding tissues and shown that the CNH and tailbud mesoderm are transcriptionally similar, and distinct from the presomitic mesoderm. Amongst CNH-enriched genes are several that are required for axial elongation, including Wnt3a, Cdx2, Brachyury/T and Fgf8, and androgen/estrogen receptor nuclear signalling components such as Greb1. Chordoneural hinge, tailbud mesoderm, and presomitic mdesoderm were dissected from E10.5 wildtype mouse embryos. These microdissected tissues were used to extract total RNA for microarray study.