Expression of endostyle-specific genes in the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi

1996 ◽  
Vol 206 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ogasawara ◽  
Kimio J. Tanaka ◽  
Kazuhiro W. Makabe ◽  
Noriyuki Satoh
Keyword(s):  
2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-46
Author(s):  
Kiyotaka Matsumura ◽  
Manami Nagano ◽  
Sachiko Tsukamoto ◽  
Haruko Kato ◽  
Nobuhiro Fusetani

Development ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 118 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Nishida

Embryogenesis in ascidians is known to be of the mosaic type, a property that suggests the presence of cytoplasmic factors in the egg which are responsible for specification of the developmental fates of early blastomeres. Endoderm cells are present in the trunk region of tadpole larvae, and these cells specifically express alkaline phosphatase (AP). Endoderm cells originate exclusively from blastomeres of the vegetal hemisphere of early embryos. To obtain direct evidence for cytoplasmic determinants of endoderm specification, we carried out cytoplasmic-transfer experiments by fusing blastomeres and cytoplasmic fragments from various regions. Initially, presumptive-epidermis blastomeres (blastomeres from the animal hemisphere) were fused to cytoplasmic fragments from various regions of blastomeres of 8-cell embryos of Halocynthia roretzi, and development of endoderm cells was monitored by histochemical staining for AP. AP activity was observed only when presumptive-epidermis blastomeres were fused with cytoplasmic fragments from the presumptive-endoderm blastomeres. The results suggest that cytoplasmic factors that promote the initial event of endoderm differentiation (endoderm determinants) are present in endoderm-lineage blastomeres. Next, to examine the presence and localization of endoderm determinants in the egg, cytoplasmic fragments from various regions of unfertilized and fertilized eggs were fused with the presumptive-epidermis blastomeres. The results suggest that endoderm determinants are already present in unfertilized eggs, and that they are segregated by movements of the ooplasm after fertilization. Initially, these determinants move to the vegetal pole of the egg. Then, prior to the first cleavage, their distribution extends in the equatorial direction, namely, to the entire vegetal hemisphere from which future endoderm-lineage blastomeres are formed.


Development ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 120 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-243 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Nishida

Embryogenesis in ascidians is of the mosaic type. This property suggests the presence of cytoplasmic factors in the egg that are responsible for specification of the developmental fates of early blastomeres. The epidermal cells that surround the entire tadpole larva originate exclusively from blastomeres of the animal hemisphere of early embryos. To obtain direct evidence for cytoplasmic determinants of epidermis fate, we carried out cytoplasmic transfer experiments by fusing blastomeres and anucleate cell fragments from various regions of eggs and embryos. Initially, presumptive non-epidermis blastomeres (blastomeres from the vegetal hemisphere) were fused to cytoplasmic fragments from various regions of blastomeres of 8-cell embryos of Halocynthia roretzi, and development of epidermal cells was monitored by following the expression of an epidermis- specific antigen, as well as by observations of morphology and the secretion of larval tunic materials. Formation of epidermis was observed when vegetal blastomeres were fused with cytoplasmic fragments from the presumptive epidermis blastomeres. The results suggested that cytoplasmic factors that promoted epidermis differentiation (epidermis determinants) were present in epidermis progenitors. Vegetal blastomeres only manifested this change in fate when fused with cytoplasmic fragments of roughly equal or larger size. Next, to examine the presence and localization of epidermis determinants in the uncleaved egg, cytoplasmic fragments from various regions of unfertilized and fertilized eggs were fused with the vegetal blastomeres. The results suggested that epidermis determinants were already present in unfertilized eggs and that they were segregated by movements of the ooplasm after fertilization. After the first phase of ooplasmic segregation, these determinants were widely distributed, with the highest activity being located in the equatorial region. There were no indications of regional differences in the activity within the equatorial region of eggs at this stage. After the second phase of ooplasmic segregation, prior to the first cleavage, the activity moved in the animal direction, namely, to the animal hemisphere, from which future epidermis-lineage blastomeres are normally formed.


1973 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 1179-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fumio NAGAYAMA ◽  
Kazutami UMEZAWA
Keyword(s):  

2015 ◽  
Vol 116 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Kimura ◽  
K Nakayama ◽  
M Wada ◽  
UJ Kim ◽  
K Azumi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

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