The study highlights how oscillating proteins and intercellular signals govern vertebral column segmentation, uncovering new molecular pathways that may lead to therapies for congenital scoliosis.
Ertuğrul Özbudak, PhD, noted that the discovered molecular pathways act as a 'clock' determining the formation frequency of somites, critical for segmented vertebrae.
The researchers found that inhibiting phosphatase activity of Dusp proteins disrupted the oscillation of ERK kinase, leading to improper somite boundaries in zebrafish embryos.
This research marks a significant step in understanding vertebrate spinal development, revealing intricate protein interactions that dictate segment regulation for proper vertebral formation.
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