The role of SOX proteins in normal pituitary development

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   Figure 1

   Stages of rodent pituitary development. (a) Oral ectoderm. (b) Rudimentary pouch. (c) Definitive pouch. (d) Adult pituitary gland. I, infundibulum; NP, neural plate; N, notochord; PP, pituitary placode; OM, oral membrane; H, heart; F, forebrain; MB, midbrain; HB, hindbrain; RP, Rathke's pouch; AN, anterior neural pore; O, oral cavity; PL, posterior lobe; OC, optic chiasm; P, pontine flexure; PO, pons; IL, intermediate lobe; AL, anterior lobe; DI, diencephalon; SC, sphenoid cartilage. Adapted from Sheng & Westphal (1999).
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   Figure 2

   Diagram of the approximate timing of mRNA expression in the mouse for some of the transcription factors (TFs) and signalling molecules (SMs) that regulate anterior pituitary development. Black bars represent TFs and SMs expressed in the diencephalon and infundibulum, grey bars those expressed in Rathke's pouch and blue bars other marker genes. Broken line for Sox2 and Sox3 indicate their early expression in other parts of the developing CNS. Their expression persists in specific areas of the adult brain (see text). E, embryonic day.
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   Figure 3

   Abnormal morphogenesis of Rathke's pouch in Sox2 heterozygous mouse embryos. Bifurcation of Rathke's pouch is seen in sagittal sections of 12.5 dpc mutant embryos (right) compared with wild-type embryos (left). Adapted from Kelberman et al. (2006).
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   Figure 4

   Expression pattern of SOX2 in human embryos. Transverse (A) and sagittal (B) sections show expression of SOX2 within Rathke's pouch (Rp) and overlying neural ectoderm at CS16 and CS19 respectively. At fetal stage 2 (C) SOX2 transcripts continue to be detected in the cells lining the lumen of the anterior pituitary (AP), but are absent in the hypothalamic area (Hyp) and posterior pituitary (PP). Adapted from Kelberman et al. (2008).

• © 2009 Society for Endocrinology