Mech Dev 1995 Mar 01;501:57-69.

Expression of Xkl-1, a Xenopus gene related to mammalian c-kit, in dorsal embryonic tissue.

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In mice, the Kit receptor tyrosine kinase and its ligand, Steel factor, are required for melanogenesis, hematopoesis and gametogenesis We have identified a Xenopus gene, Xkl-1 (Xenopus Kit-like-1) whose predicted protein has striking sequence identity in the catalytic domain and kinase insert to that of c-kit. Xkl-1 is expressed only in dorsal tissues such as the nervous system, notochord and somites of neurulae. Ultraviolet irradiated embryos and animal caps treated with basic FGF unexpectedly express Xkl-1, since they are considered to develop only ventral type tissues. These observations raise the hypothesis that Xkl-1 is involved in Xenopus dorsal development and that dorsal tissues inhibit the expression of Xkl-1 in ventral structures.

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Species referenced: Xenopus laevis
Genes referenced: fgf2 kit kitlg