Selective Requirement of Pax6, But Not Emx2, in the Specification and Development of Several Nuclei of the Amygdaloid Complex

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The amygdaloid complex is a group of nuclei that are thought to originate from multiple sites of the dorsal and ventral telencephalic neuroepithelium. The mechanisms that regulate their development are essentially unknown. We studied the role of Pax6 and Emx2, two transcription factors that regulate regional specification and growth of the telencephalon, in the morphogenesis of the amygdaloid complex. We used a set of specific marker genes that identify distinct amygdaloid nuclei to analyzePax6/Small eyeandEmx2knock-out mutant mouse brains. We found that there is a selective requirement forPax6, but notEmx2, in the formation a subset of nuclei within the amygdaloid complex. Specifically, structures that were not previously considered to be developmentally linked, the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract and the lateral, basolateral, and basomedial nuclei, all appear to have a common requirement forPax6. Together, our findings provide new insights into the origins and mechanisms underlying the development of the amygdaloid complex.