What is the function of Sonic hedgehog gene?
Normal Function The SHH gene provides instructions for making a protein called Sonic Hedgehog. This protein functions as a chemical signal that is essential for embryonic development. Sonic Hedgehog plays a role in cell growth, cell specialization, and the normal shaping (patterning) of the body.
Why is the gene called Sonic hedgehog?
Sonic was named as such by the Harvard researcher (Cliff Tabin) because two previous gene family members had been named Indian and dessert hedgehog based on the way fruit flies looked when these gene were mutated.
Where does Sonic hedgehog protein come from?
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a glycoprotein secreted by epithelial cells at the mesenchymal interface and is involved in proliferation, embryonic patterning, and cell fate determination in developing tissues.
How does the Sonic hedgehog gene promote brain development?
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) plays a key role in regulating many aspects of embryonic development including, growth of digits on limbs and organization of neurons in the brain. It controls cell division of adult stem cells and has been implicated in some cancers. Too much Shh can lead to tumor formation.
What is the function of Hedgehog pathway?
The Hedgehog signaling pathway is a signaling pathway that transmits information to embryonic cells required for proper cell differentiation. Different parts of the embryo have different concentrations of hedgehog signaling proteins. The pathway also has roles in the adult.
What are hedgehog target genes?
Target genes of the Hh signaling pathway are cell type-dependent. In most cells responsive to Hh, the common target genes are Ptch and Gli1 (Stamataki et al., 2005; Cohen et al., 2015; Tickle and Towers, 2017). In the developing neural tube, the Nkx6. 1, Olig2, Nkx2.
What is Sonic Hedgehog in biology?
Sonic hedgehog is a protein encoded for by the SHH gene. SHH controls organogenesis and the organization of the central nervous system, limbs, digits and many other parts of the body. Sonic hedgehog is a morphogen that patterns the developing embryo using a concentration gradient characterized by the French Flag model.
What does the Hedgehog pathway do?
The Hedgehog signaling pathway is a signaling pathway that transmits information to embryonic cells required for proper cell differentiation. Different parts of the embryo have different concentrations of hedgehog signaling proteins.
Is Sonic hedgehog a Hox gene?
Sonic hedgehog is an endodermal signal inducing Bmp-4 and Hox genes during induction and regionalization of the chick hindgut. Development. 1995 Oct;121(10):3163-74.
What genes are activated by Hedgehog?
Hedgehog signals upregulate BCL2 and CFLAR to promote cellular survival, SNAI1 (Snail), SNAI2 (Slug), ZEB1, ZEB2 (SIP1), TWIST2, and FOXC2 to promote epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and PTHLH (PTHrP) to promote osteolytic bone metastasis.
What kind of signaling molecule is sonic hedgehog?
Sonic hedgehog (SHH) is a signaling molecule that is encoded by the same gene sonic hedgehog. SHH plays a very important role in organogenesis and most importantly craniofacial development. Being that SHH is a signaling molecule it primarily works by diffusion along a concentration gradient affecting cells in different manners.
What kind of role does Sonic Hedgehog play?
Sonic hedgehog (Shh) is a member of the Hedgehog (Hh) family of secreted extracellular signaling proteins, which serve important roles in regulating both short-range and long-range patterning processes in developing invertebrate and vertebrate tissues.
How does sonic hedgehog influence smooth muscle cells?
HHIPL1 cellular localization, interaction with sonic hedgehog (SHH), and influence on hedgehog signaling were tested. Human aortic smooth muscle cell phenotypes and hedgehog signaling were investigated after gene knockdown. Immunoprecipitation shows that recombinant HHIPL1 and SHH proteins interact.
Are there mutations in the sonic hedgehog gene?
The mutational spectrum of the sonic hedgehog gene in holoprosencephaly: SHH mutations cause a significant proportion of autosomal dominant holoprosencephaly. Hum Mol Genet. 1999 Dec;8 (13):2479-88.