The additional transcripts highlighted in Figure 20 show preferential expression in the FNP over the other prominences, in agreement with the microarray data.
However, transcript levels for Itga8 (GeneID: 241226) and Itgb5 (GeneID: 16419) were slightly higher in the MxP compared to the other prominences.
In the MxP, Col9a2 (GeneID: 12840) transcript levels remained relatively flat throughout the time course, whilst this gene showed increasing levels in the other prominences (Figure 11D).
In particular, in the MdP expression of Cdh15 (GeneID: 12555), a gene associated with muscle differentiation [42], showed a sharp increase compared to the other prominences.
The MxP also displayed differences from the other prominences, especially in the levels of Krt5 and Krt14 expression, which were higher, and the expression profiles of Krt6a and Krt7, which were less dynamic.
Conversely, compared with the other prominences, the FNP has reduced RNA levels for several transcription factors (e.g. Barx1 GeneID: 12022; and Vgll2, GeneID: 215031) as well as Frzb (GeneID: 20378), Lrba and Gap43 (GeneID: 14432).
In this context, Pcdh21 is associated with olfactory function [43], and it is likely that some of the differences between the FNP and the two other prominences reflect the specialized function of the olfactory epithelium.
Thus, Foxc2 (GeneID: 14234) and Pknox2 (GeneID: 208076) showed a slight decrease in expression in the MxP compared with the other prominences, whereas levels of Foxl2 (GeneID: 26927), Irx3 (GeneID: 16373) and Irx5 (GeneID: 54352) were slightly higher.
The MdP was distinguished by a dramatic increase in the expression levels of Thbs4 (GeneID: 21828) compared with the other prominences, but relatively flat expression of Sdc2 (GeneID: 15529).
In the FNP, transcripts for DDit4l (GeneID: 73284), Pla2g16 (GeneID: 225845), Rprm (GeneID: 67874), Gadd45a (GeneID: 13197), and Gadd45g (GeneID: 23882) were found at 2 to 4-fold higher levels than in the other prominences.
