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Figure 2 | Neural Development

Figure 2

From: Notch activity in the nervous system: to switch or not switch?

Figure 2

A role for Notch during neural subtype specification in vertebrates. Notch communication (in pink) influences cell fate in the murine retina, the zebrafish epiphysis, the vertebrate spinal cord as well as the murine telencephalon. (A) While in the murine retina the nature and number of signal-sending cells is unknown, Notch1 activity results in an inhibition of the photoreceptor fate, which would allow cells to adopt alternative fates. (B) In the zebrafish epiphysis, projection neuron precursors express high levels of Notch ligands, therefore inhibiting their neighbours from adopting a projection neuron fate. (C) A section of the vertebrate spinal cord is represented dorsal up with the three ventral progenitor domains: p2, pMN and p3. Whereas the Notch ligand Dll4 is expressed widely in p2 neural progenitors, only the future v2a cells are thought to retain its expression [34]. Note that in the case of the KA'/MN decision, it is not clear which are the ligand expressing cells, although one would expect an enrichment in the presumptive MN precursors [33]. (D) In the murine telencephalon, Notch communication helps in specifying the astrocytic fate together with the JAK/STAT pathway.

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