Embryonic Expression of the Transforming Growth Factor Beta Ligand and Receptor Genes in Chicken

Background: Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF) signaling regulates a myriad of biological processes during embryogenesis, in the adult, and during the manifestation of disease. TGF signaling is propagated through one of three TGF ligands interacting with Type I and Type II receptors, and Type III co-receptors. Although TGF signaling is regulated partly by the combinatorial expression patterns of TGF receptors and ligands, a comprehensive gene expression analysis has not been published.Results: Here we report the embryonic mRNA expression patterns in chicken embryos of the canonical TGF ligands (TGFB1, TGFB2, and TGFB3) and receptors (TGFBR1, TGFBR2, TGFBR3), plus the Activin A receptor, type 1 (ACVR1) and co receptor Endoglin (ENG) that also transduce TGF signaling.Conclusions: TGFB ligands and receptors show dynamic and frequently overlapping expression patterns in numerous embryonic cell layers and structures. Integrating expression information identifies combinations of ligands and receptors that are involved in specific developmental processes including somitogenesis, cardiogenesis and vasculogenesis. Developmental Dynamics 243:497-508, 2014. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.