Grant: Operating Grant

In previous work we found that the levels of retinoic acid, a vitamin A derivative, and Bone Morphogenetic Protein are essential factors in jaw development. The tweaking of these two molecules in early chicken embryos changed the side of the face (cheek bones) to the centre of the face. The present application is testing the model that RA and BMPs and other molecules downstream are necessary for specifying jaw identity. We are focusing on a secreted protein that not only can replicate the effects of BMP and RA on the face but also has effects on limb patterning. Here we will increase and decrease the levels of this protein in the early chicken embryo to determine its roles in shaping the skeleton of the limbs and face. Our work will not only shed light on inherited birth defects that affect the upper face such as cleft lip and midine clefts but also will help us to understand disturbances in the number of digits in the hands or feet.