Reviewer #1: Mesenchymal Meis2 Controls Whisker Development Independently from Trigeminal Sensory Innervation
March 2025
TLDR Whiskers can form without sensory nerves or Foxd1, thanks to Meis2 in mesenchymal cells.
The study demonstrates that Meis2 expression in mesenchymal cells derived from the neural crest is crucial for whisker formation, independent of trigeminal sensory innervation. MEIS2 orchestrates the initial steps of epithelial placode formation and dermal condensation by regulating the expression of the transcription factor Foxd1, which is associated with pre-dermal condensation. However, the deletion of Foxd1 does not impact whisker development. These findings highlight the early role of mesenchymal MEIS2 in whisker formation and suggest that whiskers can develop normally without sensory innervation or Foxd1 expression.
