Problem:
In the early mouse embryo, the immediate environment of the somite comprises multiple tissues secreting different signalling molecules that pattern the somite.
Required:
Question 1: Which of these neighbouring embryological structures secretes Sonic hedgehog (Shh)?
Question2: Outline the Shh signal transduction pathway.
Question3: Describe the experiments in mice that showed that Shh is essential for the activation of myf5transcription in the early somite.
Question 4: In a somite cell, how does the myf5 genomic locus integrate the cell signalling in its local environment to regulatetranscription?
Explain all the answers in detail.