Apoptotic gene expression in the neural tube during early human embryonic development

作者：Chen Guifang; Li Tiandong; Ding Peipei; Yang Ping; Zhang Xiao^*

来源：Neural Regeneration Research, 2011, 6(1): 55-59.

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1673-5374.2011.01.009

• apoptosis
• caspase-3
• Fas
• human embryo
• neural tube development
• quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction

Neural tube development comprises neural induction, neural epithelial cell proliferation, and apoptosis, as well as migration of nerve cells. Too much or too little apoptosis leads to abnormal nervous system development. The present study analyzed expression and distribution of apoptotic-related factors, including Fas, FasL, and caspase-3, during human embryonic neural tube development. Experimental results showed that increased caspase-3 expression promoted neural apoptosis via a mitochondrial-mediated intrinsic pathway at 4 weeks during early human embryonic neural tube development. Subsequently, Fas and FasL expression increased during embryonic development. The results suggest that neural cells influence neural apoptosis through synergistic effects of extrinsic pathways. Therefore, neural apoptosis during the early period of neural tube development in the human embryo might be regulated by the death receptor induced apoptotic extrinsic pathways.

• 出版日期2011-1-5
• 单位成都医学院; 绵阳师范学院