A gradient of BMP activity specifies dorsal-ventral fates in early Xenopus embryos. |
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| Authors: | L Dale F C Wardle |
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| Affiliation: | Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. |
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| Abstract: | BMP-4 is an extracellular signalling molecule belonging to the TGF-beta superfamily that plays a central role in dorsoventral patterning in vertebrate gastrulae. We review the evidence indicating that BMP-4 acts as a morphogen, specifying dorsoventral positional values in a concentration-dependent manner. An activity gradient of BMP-4 is established not by simple diffusion from a localised source, but by diffusion of inhibitory binding proteins that act on a uniform level of BMP-4 protein. These in turn are regulated by the activity of tolloid-related metalloproteases, such as Xenopus xolloid and zebrafish tolloid. |
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