Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) gene expression in the developing cerebellum suggests multiple roles for FGF signaling during cerebellar morphogenesis and development

Abstract

The cerebellum is derived from the anterior-most segment of the embryonic hindbrain, rhombomere 1 (r1). Previous studies have shown that the early development and patterning of r1 requires fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. However, many of the developmental processes that shape cerebellar morphogenesis take place later in embryonic development and during the first 2 weeks of postnatal life in the mouse. Here, we present a more comprehensive analysis of the expression patterns of genes encoding FGF receptors and secreted FGF ligands during these later stages of cerebellar development. We show that these genes are expressed in multiple cell types in the developing cerebellum, in an astonishing array of distinct patterns. These data suggest that FGF signaling functions throughout cerebellar development to regulate many processes that shape the formation of a functional cerebellum.