Abstract
The hedgehog signalling pathway has been implicated in many different processes in fly and vertebrate development. It is now known that the hedgehog cascade is crucial for the patterning of the early respiratory system. Hedgehog signalling in the lung involves Gli transcription proteins, but their potential downstream target genes have yet to be identified. Bmp4 and Fgf10 have been shown to regulate lung branching morphogenesis but seem not to be targets of hedgehog signalling.
Highlights
During development, the mammalian lung establishes a large diffusible interface with the circulation to facilitate respiratory gas exchange at term
Concluding remarks and future It is evident that the Sonic hedgehog (Shh)/ptc/smo/gli pathway is important in early pattern formation in the lung (Fig. 2)
Bmp4 and Fgf10, which are both implicated in mammalian lung development, seem not to be regulated by Shh signalling in the developing lung (Fig. 2)
Summary
The mammalian lung establishes a large diffusible interface with the circulation to facilitate respiratory gas exchange at term. In the absence of Hh, Ptc inhibits signalling from Smo. Full-length Ci is cleaved after forming a microtubule complex with several segment polarity genes (fused, costal-2 and suppressor of fused) and the 75 kDa Ci product act as a transcriptional repressor protein. Shh is the most extensively studied of the vertebrate Hh genes and has been shown to be responsible for patterning many developing organs, including the lung [4,5].
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