Mechanism of the Determination of the Caudal Otx Expression Boundary

To understand the formation of the midbrain-hindbrain boundary (MHB) in the neural plate, which functions as a local organizer to pattern the midbrain and cerebellum of vertebrate embryos, we examined, using the zebrafish and mouse, the roles of the class-V POU gene (pou2), as well as the regulatory mechanism of the expression of pou2, fgf8, and otx2, all of which are considered to establish the MHB and promote its development to form the organizer. The results together revealed a complex gene network that is involved in the MHB development and later brain formation in vertebrates