The control of melanoblast differentiation in the periodic albino mutant ofXenopus

1980 ◽  
Vol 36 (9) ◽  
pp. 1120-1121 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. MacMillan
Keyword(s):  
Albino Mutant ◽  
Periodic Albino

Further studies on the melanophores of periodic albino mutant of Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-78
Author(s):  
T. Fukuzawa ◽  
H. Ide
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Microscopic Level ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Light Microscopic Level ◽  
In Vitro Proliferation ◽  
Albino Mutant ◽  
Site Of Action ◽  
Periodic Albino

It is still unknown why dermal melanophores disappear during larval development, and why no or very few epidermal melanophores appear during and after metamorphosis, in Xenopus laevis showing periodic albinism (ap). To elucidate these points, we investigated (1) the occurrence of depigmentation in mutant (ap/ap) melanophores during in vitro proliferation and (2) the incidence of melanophore differentiation from mutant melanoblasts in the skin in vitro. During in vitro proliferation of mutant melanophores, ap-type melanosomes decreased in number gradually and instead the number of premelanosomes increased in the cells, which caused depigmentation at the light microscopic level in the culture. Depigmentation was observed only in mutant melanophores, and not in wild-type (+/+) melanophores. These results suggest that autonomous depigmentation of mutant dermal melanophores is the cause of the disappearance of these cells in vivo. Dopa-positive melanoblasts were demonstrated in both wild-type and mutant skins. However, the melanoblasts of metamorphosed mutant froglets did not differentiate in vitro, while those of wild-type froglets did. These results suggest that mutant melanoblasts in the skin of froglets lose the potency to differentiate into melanophores, and that this causes the lack of mutant melanophores in the froglets. The site of action of the ap gene is also discussed.

A Decreased Number of Primordial Germ Cells and the Small Numbers and Reduced Sizes of Germinal Granules in the Periodic Albino Mutant of Xenopus laevis

1993 ◽  
Vol 160 (1) ◽  
pp. 289-291 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minoru Kotani ◽  
Kohji Ikenishi ◽  
Etsuko Torii ◽  
Etsuko Amemiya ◽  
Masami Kadowaki
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Germ Cells ◽  
Primordial Germ Cells ◽  
Germinal Granules ◽  
Albino Mutant ◽  
Periodic Albino

scholarly journals An analysis of pigment cell development in the periodic albino mutant of Xenopus

Development ◽  
1979 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-170
Author(s):  
Gillian J. MacMillan
Keyword(s):  
Cell Differentiation ◽  
Neural Crest ◽  
Pigment Cell ◽  
Cell Development ◽  
Pigment Cells ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Mutant Effect ◽  
Albino Mutant ◽  
Cells Cultured ◽  
Periodic Albino

The periodic albino mutant (apap) of Xenopus in which the development of melanophoresis impaired, is further reported here to possess an aberrant pattern of iridophore differentiation. The development of mutant and wild-type neural crest explants isolated in vesicles derived from tissues from identical and different genotypes was examined to determine if the mutant effect resides in the pigment cells or is mediated by the environmental tissues. Mutant melanophores and iridophores cultured in either mutant or wild-type tissues exhibited mutant patterns of differentiation. Wild-type pigment cells cultured in both wild-type and mutant tissues exhibited wild-type patterns of differentiation. Hence the mutation affects the capacities of melanoblasts and iridoblasts to differentiate but not the ability of the environmental tissues to support pigment cell differentiation.

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