Figure 2

Modulation of bi-directional morphogen gradients generates regionally specified neural progenitors. Developing embryo schematics illustrating morphogen gradients (grey shading) and the utilized protein/small moleulces (red) employed to modulate (A) Shh, (B) Wnts and (C) FGF8. Schematic illustrations of the embryo (sagittal plane) depicting expression of key transcription factors (D) Otx2, (E) Pax6, (F) FoxA2 and (G) Zic1, used to identify rostral forebrain-midbrain, dorsal forebrain, ventral, and caudal hindbrain progenitors, respectively. (H–K) Representative photomicrographs of naïve mESC differentiated under default neural conditions to generate dorsal forebrain progenitors, expressing Otx2 and Pax6, but lacking FoxA2 and Zic1 expression. (L–O) Naïve mESC differentiated towards ventralised mesodiencephalic and (P–S) hindbrain progenitor fates, showing appropriate Otx2, Pax6, FoxA2 and Zic1 expression indicative of regional specification. Scale bar = 50 um.