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Continuous c-fos expression precedes programmed cell death in vivo

Nature volume 363, pages 166–169 (1993)Cite this article

A Correction to this article was published on 16 September 1993

Abstract

THE development of a multicellular organism involves a delicate balance among the processes of proliferation, differentiation and death. Naturally occurring cell death aids tissue remodelling, eliminates supernumerary cell populations and provides structural elements such as hair and skin. In the nervous system, selective cell death contributes to the formation and organization of the spinal cord and sympathetic ganglia1, retina2 and corpus callosum3. But cell death also occurs in several neuropathological conditions, such as amyelotrophic lateral sclerosis4 and Alzheimer's disease5. Therefore an elucidation of the mechanisms responsible for cell death is critical for an appreciation of both normal development and neuropathological disorders. Using a fos-lacZ transgenic mouse6, we provide evidence showing that the continuous expression of Fos, beginning hours or days before the morphological demise of the cell, appears to be a hallmark of terminal differentiation and a harbinger of death.

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Author notes

  1. Richard J. Smeyne

    Present address: Department of Molecular Biology, Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, PO Box 4000, Princeton, New Jersey, 08543, USA

  2. Karl Schilling

    Present address: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Ulm, 4066, Ulm, Germany

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Roche Research Center, Nutley, New Jersey, 07110, USA

    Richard J. Smeyne, Montserrat Vendrell, Michael Hayward, Karl Schilling & James I. Morgan

  2. Departments of Molecular Oncology and Virology, Roche Institute of Molecular Biology, Roche Research Center, Nutley, New Jersey, 07110, USA

    Suzanne J. Baker, Graham G. Miao, Linda M. Robertson & Tom Curran

  3. Roche-Columbia University Graduate Program,

    Michael Hayward & Graham G. Miao

Authors
  1. Richard J. Smeyne
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  2. Montserrat Vendrell
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  3. Michael Hayward
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  4. Suzanne J. Baker
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  5. Graham G. Miao
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  6. Karl Schilling
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  7. Linda M. Robertson
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  8. Tom Curran
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  9. James I. Morgan
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Smeyne, R., Vendrell, M., Hayward, M. et al. Continuous c-fos expression precedes programmed cell death in vivo. Nature 363, 166–169 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/363166a0

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