Axial progenitors and the trunk-to-tail transition

During the trunk-to-tail transition, axial progenitors relocate from the epiblast to the tail bud. Rita Aires and collaborators, lead by Moises Mallo from the IGC, show that this process entails a major regulatory switch, bringing tail bud progenitors under Gdf11 signaling control. After Gdf11-induced transition from trunk to tail development, Lin28 genes promote axial progenitor expansion until activation of Hox13 genes overrides this activity. Their work demonstrates that different gene networks regulate axial progenitors at the trunk versus tail levels. More information here.

The article entitled “Tail bud progenitor activity relies on a network comprising Gdf11, Lin28, and Hox13 genes” was published in Developmental Cell.