scholarly journals Xenopus hairy2b specifies anterior prechordal mesoderm identity within Spemann's organizer

2005 ◽  
Vol 234 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mami Yamaguti ◽  
Ken W.Y. Cho ◽  
Chikara Hashimoto
Keyword(s):  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Prechordal Mesoderm

Restoration of the organizer after radical ablation of Hensen's node and the anterior primitive streak in the chick embryo

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (10) ◽  
pp. 3263-3273 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Psychoyos ◽  
C.D. Stern
Keyword(s):  
Sonic Hedgehog ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Cell Movement ◽  
Complete Removal ◽  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Normal Embryo ◽  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Prechordal Mesoderm ◽  
Left Right Asymmetry ◽  
Gut Endoderm

The region of the amniote embryo corresponding to Spemann's organizer in amphibians is Hensen's node, which lies at the tip of the primitive streak during gastrulation. It is a special site in the embryo that can be defined by the presence of progenitors of several axial tissues (notochord, prechordal mesoderm, somites, gut endoderm), by characteristic cell movements, by specific patterns of gene expression (e.g. goosecoid, HNF-3beta, Sonic hedgehog) and, most importantly, by its ability to induce a complete axis, including host-derived neural tissue, when transplanted to an ectopic site. Here, we show that complete removal not only of the node but also of the anterior 40% of the primitive streak leads to the development of normal embryos containing cells with all the fates normally produced by the node. Cell movement pathways through the regenerated node are identical to those seen in the normal embryo. The patterns of expression of HNF-3beta and Sonic hedgehog are also restored, as is their left/right asymmetry, but goosecoid expression is not. When the regenerated node is transplanted to an ectopic site, it induces a complete embryonic axis that includes a fully patterned, host-derived central nervous system. Analysis of the properties of cells surrounding the site of ablation shows that they acquire these properties gradually. We suggest that the organizer is a region of the embryo that is defined by cell interactions and that the node normally inhibits the organizer state in neighbouring cells.

XIPOU 2 is a potential regulator of Spemann's Organizer

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 1179-1189 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Witta ◽  
S.M. Sato
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Wnt Pathway ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Branchial Arch ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Domain Family ◽  
Potent Inducer ◽  
Pou Domain ◽  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Dorsal Mesoderm

XIPOU 2, a member of the class III POU-domain family, is expressed initially at mid-blastula transition (MBT) and during gastrulation in the entire marginal zone mesoderm, including Spemann's Organizer (the Organizer). To identify potential targets of XIPOU 2, the interaction of XIPOU 2 with other genes co-expressed in the Organizer was examined by microinjecting XIPOU 2's mRNA into the lineage of cells that contributes to the Organizer, head mesenchyme and prechordal plate. XIPOU 2 suppresses the expression of a number of dorsal mesoderm-specific genes, including gsc, Xlim-1, Xotx2, noggin and chordin, but not Xnot. As a consequence of the suppression of dorsal mesoderm gene expression, bone morphogenetic factor-4 (Bmp-4), a potent inducer of ventral mesoderm, is activated in the Organizer. Gsc is a potential target of XIPOU 2. XIPOU 2 is capable of binding a class III POU protein binding site (CATTAAT) that is located within the gsc promoter, in the activin-inducible (distal) element. Furthermore, XIPOU 2 suppresses the activation of the gsc promoter by activin signaling. At the neurula and tailbud stages, dorsoanterior structures are affected: embryos displayed micropthalmia and the loss of the first branchial arch, as detected by the expression of pax-6, Xotx2 and en-2. By examining events downstream from the Wnt and chordin pathways, we determined that XIPOU 2, when overexpressed, acts specifically in the Organizer, downstream from GSK-3beta of the Wnt pathway and upstream from chordin. The interference in dorsalizing events caused by XIPOU 2 was rescued by chordin. Thus, in addition to its direct neuralizing ability, in a different context, XIPOU 2 has the potential to antagonize dorsalizing events in the Organizer.

A single morphogenetic field gives rise to two retina primordia under the influence of the prechordal plate

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (3) ◽  
pp. 603-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Li ◽  
C. Tierney ◽  
L. Wen ◽  
J.Y. Wu ◽  
Y. Rao
Keyword(s):  
Expression Pattern ◽  
Lineage Tracing ◽  
Chick Embryos ◽  
Median Region ◽  
Prechordal Plate ◽  
Prechordal Mesoderm ◽  
New Gene ◽  
Vertebrate Embryos ◽  
Migration Of Cells ◽  
Anterior Neural Plate

Two bilaterally symmetric eyes arise from the anterior neural plate in vertebrate embryos. An interesting question is whether both eyes share a common developmental origin or they originate separately. We report here that the expression pattern of a new gene ET reveals that there is a single retina field which resolves into two separate primordia, a suggestion supported by the expression pattern of the Xenopus Pax-6 gene. Lineage tracing experiments demonstrate that retina field resolution is not due to migration of cells in the median region to the lateral parts of the field. Removal of the prechordal mesoderm led to formation of a single retina both in chick embryos and in Xenopus explants. Transplantation experiments in chick embryos indicate that the prechordal plate is able to suppress Pax-6 expression. Our results provide direct evidence for the existence of a single retina field, indicate that the retina field is resolved by suppression of retina formation in the median region of the field, and demonstrate that the prechordal plate plays a primary signaling role in retina field resolution.

The origins of primitive blood in Xenopus: implications for axial patterning

Development ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.C. Lane ◽  
W.C. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Axial Patterning ◽  
Xenopus Embryos ◽  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Dorsal Mesoderm

The marginal zone in Xenopus laevis is proposed to be patterned with dorsal mesoderm situated near the upper blastoporal lip and ventral mesoderm near the lower blastoporal lip. We determined the origins of the ventralmost mesoderm, primitive blood, and show it arises from all vegetal blastomeres at the 32-cell stage, including blastomere C1, a progenitor of Spemann's organizer. This demonstrates that cells located at the upper blastoporal lip become ventral mesoderm, not solely dorsal mesoderm as previously believed. Reassessment of extant fate maps shows dorsal mesoderm and dorsal endoderm descend from the animal region of the marginal zone, whereas ventral mesoderm descends from the vegetal region of the marginal zone, and ventral endoderm descends from cells located vegetal of the bottle cells. Thus, the orientation of the dorsal-ventral axis of the mesoderm and endoderm is rotated 90(degrees) from its current portrayal in fate maps. This reassessment leads us to propose revisions in the nomenclature of the marginal zone and the orientation of the axes in pre-gastrula Xenopus embryos.

The developmental fate of the cephalic mesoderm in quail-chick chimeras

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.F. Couly ◽  
P.M. Coltey ◽  
N.M. Le Douarin
Keyword(s):  
Neural Crest ◽  
Neural Crest Cells ◽  
Paraxial Mesoderm ◽  
Avian Embryo ◽  
Facial Skeleton ◽  
Developmental Fate ◽  
Prechordal Mesoderm ◽  
The Face ◽  
Neural Crest Origin ◽  
Neurula Stage

The developmental fate of the cephalic paraxial and prechordal mesoderm at the late neurula stage (3-somite) in the avian embryo has been investigated by using the isotopic, isochronic substitution technique between quail and chick embryos. The territories involved in the operation were especially tiny and the size of the transplants was of about 150 by 50 to 60 microns. At that stage, the neural crest cells have not yet started migrating and the fate of mesodermal cells exclusively was under scrutiny. The prechordal mesoderm was found to give rise to the following ocular muscles: musculus rectus ventralis and medialis and musculus oblicus ventralis. The paraxial mesoderm was separated in two longitudinal bands: one median, lying upon the cephalic vesicles (median paraxial mesoderm—MPM); one lateral, lying upon the foregut (lateral paraxial mesoderm—LPM). The former yields the three other ocular muscles, contributes to mesencephalic meninges and has essentially skeletogenic potencies. It contributes to the corpus sphenoid bone, the orbitosphenoid bone and the otic capsules; the rest of the facial skeleton is of neural crest origin. At 3-somite stage, MPM is represented by a few cells only. The LPM is more abundant at that stage and has essentially myogenic potencies with also some contribution to connective tissue. However, most of the connective cells associated with the facial and hypobranchial muscles are of neural crest origin. The more important result of this work was to show that the cephalic mesoderm does not form dermis. This function is taken over by neural crest cells, which form both the skeleton and dermis of the face. If one draws a parallel between the so-called “somitomeres” of the head and the trunk somites, it appears that skeletogenic potencies are reduced in the former, which in contrast have kept their myogenic capacities, whilst the formation of skeleton and dermis has been essentially taken over by the neural crest in the course of evolution of the vertebrate head.

Xenopus axis formation: induction of goosecoid by injected Xwnt-8 and activin mRNAs

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 499-507 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Steinbeisser ◽  
E.M. De Robertis ◽  
M. Ku ◽  
D.S. Kessler ◽  
D.A. Melton
Keyword(s):  
Uv Irradiation ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Homeobox Gene ◽  
Dorsal Side ◽  
Axis Formation ◽  
Gene Products ◽  
Turn On ◽  
Xenopus Embryos ◽  
Spemann's Organizer

In this study, we compare the effects of three mRNAs-goosecoid, activin and Xwnt-8- that are able to induce partial or complete secondary axes when injected into Xenopus embryos. Xwnt-8 injection produces complete secondary axes including head structures whereas activin and goosecoid injection produce partial secondary axes at high frequency that lack head structures anterior to the auditory vesicle and often lack notochord. Xwnt-8 can activate goosecoid only in the deep marginal zone, i.e., in the region in which this organizer-specific homeobox gene is normally expressed on the dorsal side. Activin B mRNA, however, can turn on goosecoid in all regions of the embryo. We also tested the capacity of these gene products to restore axis formation in embryos in which the cortical rotation was blocked by UV irradiation. Whereas Xwnt-8 gives complete rescue of anterior structures, both goosecoid and activin give partial rescue. Rescued axes including hindbrain structures up to level of the auditory vesicle can be obtained at high frequency even in the absence of notochord structures. The possible functions of Wnt-like and activin-like signals and of the goosecoid homeobox gene, and their order of action in the formation of Spemann's organizer are discussed.

XIPOU 2, a noggin-inducible gene, has direct neuralizing activity

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (3) ◽  
pp. 721-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.E. Witta ◽  
V.R. Agarwal ◽  
S.M. Sato
Keyword(s):  
Cell Fate ◽  
Neural Induction ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Class Iii ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Neuronal Phenotype ◽  
Pou Domain ◽  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Stage Embryo ◽  
Synthetic Mrna

XIPOU 2, a member of the class III POU domain family, is expressed initially in Spemann's organizer, and later, in discrete regions of the developing nervous system in Xenopus laevis. XIPOU 2 may act downstream from initial neural induction events, since it is activated by the neural inducer, noggin. To determine if XIPOU 2 participates in the early events of neurogenesis, synthetic mRNA was microinjected into specific blastomeres of the 32-cell stage embryo. Misexpression of XIPOU 2 in the epidermis causes a direct switch in cell fate from an epidermal to a neuronal phenotype. In the absence of mesoderm induction, XIPOU 2 has the ability to induce a neuronal phenotype in uncommitted ectoderm. These data demonstrate the potential of XIPOU 2 to act as a master regulator of neurogenesis.

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