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Expression of the microphthalmia-associated basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor Mi in avian neuroretina cells induces a pigmented phenotype

par Planque, Nathalie;Turque, Nathalie;Opdecamp, Karin ;Bailly, Manuella;Martin, Patrick ;Saule, Simon
Référence Cell growth & differentiation : the molecular biology journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, 10, 7, page (525-536)
Publication Publié, 1999-07

Article révisé par les pairs

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Résumé :

The microphthalmia gene (mi) appears to be required for pigment cell development, based on its mutation in mi mice. The mi gene encodes a basic helix-loop-helix leucine zipper transcription factor (Mi) with tissuerestricted expression. To investigate the role of mi in cell proliferation and pigmentation, we transfected neuroretina (NR) cells with a recombinant virus expressing the murine mi cDNA. The virus induced the proliferation of chicken NR cells in response to fibroblast growth factor 2, which enabled them to form colonies in soft agar. In contrast to control cultures, transfected chicken NR cells or quail NR cells became rapidly pigmented and strongly expressed the QNR-71 mRNA encoding a melanosomal protein. These results demonstrate that Mi not only acts as pigmentation inducer but is also able to modulate the response of cells to growth factors.