Abstract: We previously assembled a highly curated set of expression data on 40 developmentally important genes in the mouse embryo; genes involved in the Wnt cell communication system. We produced 3D computer representations of the expression patterns in the context of the developing mouse embryo, across multiple stages of development. The data set includes the Wnt ligand encoding genes (19 genes), the frizzled receptors (10 genes), Sfrp secreted modulators (5 genes) and intracellular transcription factors (5 genes). This work revealed a complexity in gene expression patterns not previously envisaged and the comprehensive dataset is fully available to the research community through the Edinburgh Mouse Atlas Project (EMAP). Data analysis has focussed on comparisons to explore the existence of co-regulation and/or functional modules as well as cross species (mouse/chick) analysis to explore the contribution of gene duplication of such essential developmental genes to species specific specialisations.
Developing computational tools to integrate 3D data in the context of a developing embryo was a major challenge that has recently been achieved by EMAP. The Wnt pathway gene data is now being mapped in 3D (see http://emouseatlas.org/emage/analysis/3d_mapping.html) showing subdivisions of the embryo into unique spatial territories based on combinations of Wnt pathway genes. This provides a core set of data to build on and to explore the use of custom made computational tools to examine possibilities for integrated analysis, with application to key biological questions.