Expression of the Lingo/LERN gene family during mouse embryogenesis.

We have analysed the expression during mouse development of the four member Lingo/LERN gene family which encodes type 1 transmembrane proteins containing 12 extracellular leucine rich repeats, an immunoglobulin C2 domain and a short intracellular tail. Each family member has a distinct pattern of expression in the mouse embryo as is the case for the related NLRR, FLRT and LRRTM gene families. Lingo1/LERN1 is expressed in the developing trigeminal, facio-acoustic and dorsal root ganglia. An interesting expression pattern is also observed in the somites with expression localising to the inner surface of the dermomyotome in the ventro-caudal lip. Further expression is seen in lateral cells of the hindbrain and midbrain, lateral cells in the motor horn of the neural tube, the otic vesicle epithelium and epithelium associated with the developing gut. Lingo3/LERN2 is expressed in a broad but specific pattern in many tissues across the embryo. Lingo2/LERN3 is seen in a population of cells lying adjacent to the epithelial lining of the olfactory pit while Lingo4/LERN4 is expressed in the neural tube in a subset of progenitors adjacent to the motor neurons. Expression of all Lingo/LERN genes increases as the embryo develops but is low in the adult with only Lingo1/LERN1 and Lingo2/LERN3 being detectable in adult brain.