Inhibitors of differentiation and DNA binding (Ids) regulate Math1 and hair cell formation during the development of the organ of Corti.

1. J Neurosci. 2006 Jan 11;26(2):550-8.

Inhibitors of differentiation and DNA binding (Ids) regulate Math1 and hair cell
formation during the development of the organ of Corti.

Jones JM(1), Montcouquiol M, Dabdoub A, Woods C, Kelley MW.

Author information:
(1)Section on Developmental Neuroscience, Porter Neuroscience Center, National
Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, National Institutes of
Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor Math1 (also called Atoh1)
is both necessary and sufficient for hair cell development in the mammalian
cochlea (Bermingham et al., 1999; Zheng and Gao, 2000). Previous studies have
demonstrated that a dynamic pattern of Math1 expression plays a key role in
regulating the number and position of mechanosensory hair cells. However, the
factors that regulate the temporal and spatial expression of Math1 within the
cochlea are unknown. The bHLH-related inhibitors of differentiation and DNA
binding (Id) proteins are known to negatively regulate many bHLH transcription
factors, including Math1, in a number of different systems. Therefore, Id
proteins are good candidates for regulating Math1 in the cochlea. Results from
PCR and in situ hybridization indicate that Id1, Id2, and Id3 are expressed
within the cochlear duct in a pattern that is consistent with a role in
regulation of hair cell development. In particular, expression of Ids and Math1
overlapped in cochlear progenitor cells before cellular differentiation, but a
specific downregulation of Id expression was observed in individual cells that
differentiated as hair cells. In addition, progenitor cells in which the
expression of Ids was maintained during the time period for hair cell
differentiation were inhibited from developing as hair cells. These results
indicate a key role for Ids in the regulation of expression of Math1 and hair
cell differentiation in the developing cochlea.

DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.3859-05.2006
PMID: 16407553 [Indexed for MEDLINE]

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