Function
BMP4 is a polypeptide belonging to the TGF-β superfamily of proteins. It, like other bone morphogenetic proteins, is involved in bone and cartilage development, specifically tooth and limb development and fracture repair. This particular family member plays an important role in the onset of endochondral bone formation in humans. It has been shown to be involved in muscle development, bone mineralization, and ureteric bud development.
In human embryonic development, BMP4 is a critical signaling molecule required for the early differentiation of the embryo and establishing of a dorsal-ventral axis. BMP4 is secreted from the dorsal portion of the notochord, and it acts in concert with sonic hedgehog (released from the ventral portion of the notochord) to establish a dorsal-ventral axis for the differentiation of later structures.
BMP4 stimulates differentiation of overlying ectodermal tissue.
Bone morphogenetic proteins are known to stimulate bone formation in adult animals. This is thought that inducing osteoblastic commitment and differentiation of stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells. In embryonic development bmps are known to play a large role in embryonic development. In the embryo BMP4 helps establish dorsal-ventral axis formation in xenopus through inducing ventral mesoderm. In mice targets inactivation of BMP4 disrupts mesoderm from forming. As well establishes dorsal-ventral patterning of the developing neural tube with the help of BMP7, and inducing dorsal characters.
BMP4 also limits the extent to which neural differentiation in xenopus embryos occurs by inducing epidermis. They can aid in inducing the lateral characteristics in somites. Somites are required for the development of things such as muscles within limbs. BMP4 helps in the patterning of the developing head though inducing apoptosis of the neural crest cells; this is done in the hindbrain.
Other such events such as tooth development, modulating skeletal shape, interdigit apoptosis in developing limbs, eye formation, and inhibiting hair development. It is important to note that mice in which BMP4 was inactivated usually died during gastrulation. It is thought that inactivation of human BMP4 would likely have the same effect. However, mutations which are subtle in humans could also have subtle effects phenotypically.
Read more about this topic: Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4
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