Vertebrate axis formation and mammalian sexual development
The primary interest of our laboratory is to understand, at the molecular level, the
events leading to the establishment of the mammalian body plan and how growth and differentiation of
various tissues and organs are regulated during embryogenesis. The principal tool of our laboratory
is the transfer of foreign DNA into the germline of mice (transgenic mice).
We have used gene targeting and mouse embryonic stem cell technologies to generate a series of
mutations in genes that regulate embryogenesis. Using these methods, we have discovered that
the homeobox gene Lim1 is essential for the formation of anterior structures. Mice lacking
Lim1 are born without anterior head structures but develop normally along the rest of the body
axis. Subsequent studies have further defined the molecular and cellular mechanisms that lead to
the development of this axis formation defect. Other areas of research in the lab include mammalian
sexual development, placenta formation and function, and comparative embryology.
Selected Publications
Shawlot W, Behringer RR (1995) Requirement for Lim1 in
head-organizer function. Nature 374:425-430.
Rivera-Pérez JA, Mallo M, Gendron-Maguire M, Gridley T, Behringer RR
(1995) Goosecoid is not an essential component of the mouse gastrula organizer but is required for
craniofacial and rib development. Development 121:3005-3012.
Mishina Y, Suzuki A, Ueno N, Behringer RR (1995) Bmpr encodes a type I
bone morphogenetic protein receptor that is essential for gastrulation during mouse embryogenesis.
Genes and Development 9:3027-3037.
Mishina Y, Rey R, Finegold MJ, Matzuk MM, Josso N, Cate RL, Behringer RR (1996) Genetic analysis of the
Müllerian-inhibiting substance signal transduction
pathway in mammalian sexual differentiation. Genes and Development 10:2577-2587.
Liu P, Wakamiya M, Shea MJ, Albrecht U, Behringer RR, Bradley A (1999) Wnt3 is
essential for gastrulation in the mouse. Nature Genetics 22:361-365.
Shawlot W, Wakamiya M, Kwan KM, Kania A, Jessell TM, Behringer RR
(1999) Lim1 is required in both primitive streak-derived tissues and visceral endoderm for
head formation in the mouse. Development 126:4925-4932.
Arango NA, Lovell-Badge R, Behringer RR (1999) Targeted mutagenesis of the
endogenous mouse Mis gene promoter: In vivo definition of genetic pathways of vertebrate sexual
development. Cell 99:409-419.
Jamin SP, Arango NA, Mishina Y, Hanks MC, Behringer RR (2002)
Requirement of Bmpr1a for Müllerian duct regression during male sexual development.
Nature Genetics 32:408-410.
Kobayashi A, Shawlot W, Kania A, Behringer RR (2003) Requirement of Lim1
for female reproducive tract development. Development 131:539-549.
Chen C-M, Behringer RR (2004) Ovca1 regulates cell proliferation, embryonic
development, and tumorigenesis. Genes and Development 18: 320-332.
Contact Information
- Richard R. Behringer, Ph.D.
- Department of Molecular Genetics, Unit 1006
- The University of Texas
- M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
- 1515 Holcombe Boulevard
- Houston, Texas 77030, U.S.A.
- Tel: (713) 834-6327
- Fax: (713) 834-6339
- E-mail: rrb@mdanderson.org
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