Identification of novel cellular and ventrally derived signalling molecules involved in neural retina specification in the vertebrate eye

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The chick has been a traditional model for studying tissue interactions that lead to proper organ formation in vertebrates. Using the developing chick embryo it is possible to bring together well-established embryological manipulations with genetic manipulations, such as mis- and overexpression of genes and gene inactivation. Using our exceptional manipulation skills, this project will give insights, whether the ventral midline region exerts a novel function as a signalling region being involved in initiating a retinal progenitor cell fate. Our preliminary data indicate that different signalling pathways from the midline region might be involved in initiating Vsx2 expression in retinal progenitor cells. Therefore, we plan to elucidate, whether a cross-talk between different signalling pathways of the BMP-, SHH- and FGF family is involved in retinal cell fate specification. This will require an analysis of the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms in both space and time during optic vesicle stages, and this can be easily performed in the developing chick embryo. Importantly, the role of midline-derived BMP and SHH signalling in retinal cell fate specification has not been investigated before. The contributions of ex- and intrinsic signalling in establishing the NR and RPE domains in vivo is of pivotal importance for stem cell-based and regenerative research. Moreover, findings on the molecular mechanisms involved in retinal cell fate specification can be extended to other regions of the vertebrate brain. This research might help to find cures that will help to prevent or delay blindness in millions of elderly people worldwide.