Commonalities in fly embryogenesis and mammalian pituitary patterning

During embryonic development, morphogenetic gradients can specify the formation of gene expression territories. Here, we explore possible commonalities between pattern formation in the Drosophila blastoderm and murine pituitary. Shared principles include the need for positive feedback involving fate-determining genes to maintain a differentiated state, and the existence of intra- or extracellular inhibitory signals that improve spatial resolution of neighboring territories. The precision of spatial segregation is, however, limited by stochastic gene expression. Variability in gene expression at territory boundaries might give rise to a poorly differentiated pool of cells, which could harbor stem-like properties. The ideas outlined here deserve further theoretical and experimental exploration.