scholarly journals The epithelium of the dorsal marginal zone of Xenopus has organizer properties

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 887-899 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Shih ◽  
R. Keller
Keyword(s):  
Neural Tube ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Tissue Differentiation ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Epithelial Layer ◽  
Spemann Organizer ◽  
Deep Region ◽  
Early Gastrula ◽  
Axial Development

We have investigated the properties of the epithelial layer of the dorsal marginal zone (DMZ) of the Xenopus laevis early gastrula and found that it has inductive properties similar to those of the entire Spemann organizer. When grafts of the epithelial layer of the DMZ of early gastrulae labelled with fluorescein dextran were transplanted to the ventral sides of unlabelled host embryos, they induced secondary axes composed of notochord, somites and posterior neural tube. The organizer epithelium rescued embryos ventralized by UV irradiation, inducing notochord, somites and posterior neural tube in these embryos, while over 90% of ventralized controls showed no such structures. Combinations of organizer epithelium and ventral marginal zone (VMZ) in explants of the early gastrula resulted in convergence, extension and differentiation of dorsal mesodermal tissues, whereas similar recombinants of nonorganizer epithelium and the VMZ did none of these things. In all cases, the axial structures forming in response to epithelial grafts were composed of labelled graft and unlabelled host cells, indicating an induction by the organizer epithelium of dorsal, axial morphogenesis and tissue differentiation among mesodermal cells that otherwise showed non-axial development. Serial sectioning and scanning electron microscopy of control grafts shows that the epithelial organizer effect occurs in the absence of contaminating deep cells adhering to the epithelial grafts. However, labelled organizer epithelium grafted to the superficial cell layer contributed cells to deep mesodermal tissues, and organizer epithelium developed into mesodermal tissues when deliberately grafted into the deep region. This shows that these prospective endodermal epithelial cells are able to contribute to mesodermal, mesenchymal tissues when they move or are moved into the deep environment. These results suggest that in normal development, the endodermal epithelium may influence some aspects of the cell motility underlying the mediolateral intercalation (see Shih, J. and Keller, R. (1992) Development 116, 901–914), as well as the tissue differentiation of mesodermal cells. These results have implications for the analysis of mesoderm induction and for analysis of variations in the differentiation and morphogenetic function of the marginal zone in different species of amphibians.

scholarly journals The patterning and functioning of protrusive activity during convergence and extension of the Xenopus organiser

Development ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 116 (Supplement) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ray Keller ◽  
John Shih ◽  
Carmen Domingo
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Tissue Differentiation ◽  
Tissue Interactions ◽  
Dorsal Mesoderm ◽  
Convergence And Extension ◽  
Early Gastrula ◽  
Ventral Explants ◽  
Anterior Posterior

We discuss the cellular basis and tissue interactions regulating convergence and extension of the vertebrate body axis in early embryogenesls of Xenopus. Convergence and extension occur in the dorsal mesoderm (prospective notochord and somite) and in the posterior nervous system (prospective hindbrain and spinal cord) by sequential cell intercalations. Several layers of cells intercalate to form a thinner, longer array (radial intercalation) and then cells intercalate in the mediolateral orientation to form a longer, narrower array (mediolateral intercalation). Fluorescence microscopy of labeled mesodermal cells in explants shows that protrusive activity is rapid and randomly directed until the midgastrula stage, when it slows and is restricted to the medial and lateral ends of the cells. This bipolar protrusive activity results in elongation, alignment and mediolateral intercalation of the cells. Mediolateral intercalation behavior (MIB) is expressed in an anterior-posterior and lateral-medial progression in the mesoderm. MIB is first expressed laterally in both somitic and notochordal mesoderm. From its lateral origins in each tissue, MIB progresses medially. If convergence does not bring the lateral boundaries of the tissues closer to the medial cells in the notochordal and somitic territories, these cells do not express MIB. Expression of tissue-specific markers follows and parallels the expression of MIB. These facts argue that MIB and some aspects of tissue differentiation are induced by signals emanating from the lateral boundaries of the tissue territories and that convergence must bring medial cells and boundaries closer together for these signals to be effective. Grafts of dorsal marginal zone epithelium to the ventral sides of other embryos, to ventral explants and to UV-ventralized embryos show that it has a role in organising convergence and extension, and dorsal tissue differentiation among deep mesodermal cells. Grafts of involuting marginal zone to animal cap tissue of the early gastrula shows that convergence and extension of the hindbrain-spinal cord are induced by planar signals from the involuting marginal zone.

Blastomere derivation and domains of gene expression in the Spemann Organizer of Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 3505-3518 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Vodicka ◽  
J.C. Gerhart
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Fate Map ◽  
Early Cleavage ◽  
Spemann Organizer ◽  
Spemann's Organizer ◽  
Cell Embryo ◽  
Early Gastrula

Spemann's Organizer, located in the dorsal marginal zone of the amphibian gastrula, induces and differentiates dorsal axial structures characteristic of this and other vertebrates. To trace the cellular origins of the Xenopus Organizer, we labelled dorsal blastomeres of three of the four tiers (A, B and C) of the 32-cell embryo with green, red and blue fluorescent lineage tracers. A strong vegetalward displacement of labelled clones occurs between the late blastula and early gastrula stages but clones mix only slightly at their borders. The typical early gastrula Organizer is composed of approximately 10% A1 progeny in its animalmost region, 70% B1 progeny in the central region, and 20% C1 progeny in vegetal and deep regions. Variability in the composition of the early gastrula Organizer results from variability in the position of early cleavage planes and in pregastrulation movements. As the Organizer involutes during gastrulation, forming dorsal axial mesoderm, clonal boundaries are greatly dispersed by cell intermixing. Within a clone, deep cells are displaced and intermixed more than superficial cells. Variability in the distribution of progeny in the dorsal axial mesoderm of the late gastrula results mostly from variable intermixing of cells during gastrulation. Experiments to perturb later developmental events by molecular or embryonic manipulations at an early stage must take this variability into account along with the majority distributions of the fate map. Within the early gastrula Organizer, the genes Xbra, goosecoid, noggin and xNR3 are expressed differently in the animal-vegetal and superficial-deep dimensions. In situ hybridization and lineage labelling define distinct regions of the dorsal marginal zone. By the end of gastrulation, dorsal axial mesoderm cells derived from the Organizer have altered their expression of the genes Xbra, goosecoid, noggin and xNR3. At a given stage, a cell's position in the embryo rather than its lineage may be more important in determining which genes it will express.

The homeobox-containing gene XANF-1 may control development of the Spemann organizer

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (11) ◽  
pp. 3839-3847 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.G. Zaraisky ◽  
V. Ecochard ◽  
O.V. Kazanskaya ◽  
S.A. Lukyanov ◽  
I.V. Fesenko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Anterior Part ◽  
Local Maximum ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Spemann Organizer ◽  
Secondary Axis ◽  
Stage Embryo ◽  
Migration Of Cells ◽  
Early Gastrula ◽  
Xenopus Laevis Embryos

At the beginning of gastrulation the homeobox-containing gene, XANF-1, is expressed at a low level throughout the animal hemisphere of Xenopus laevis embryos, with a local maximum of expression in the region of the dorsal blastopore lip. By the end of gastrulation expression ceases everywhere except in the most anterior part of the neurectoderm. We have investigated the functions of this gene by microinjecting XANF-1 mRNA in the blastomeres of the 32-cell stage embryo and have observed the following effects. First, microinjections of the mRNA in the animal blastomeres and the blastomeres of the marginal zone elicited massive migration of cells to the interior of the embryo at the early gastrula stage. Second, overexpression of XANF-1 in the ventral marginal zone (VMZ) resulted in the appearance of an additional centre of gastrulation movements and the formation of a secondary axis. In addition we showed that synthetic XANF-1 mRNA was able to cause dorsal-type differentiation in VMZ explants extirpated from the microinjected embryos at the beginning of gastrulation. These results suggest that XANF-1 may control the main functions of cells of the Spemann organizer.

dino and mercedes, two genes regulating dorsal development in the zebrafish embryo

Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 123 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hammerschmidt ◽  
F. Pelegri ◽  
M.C. Mullins ◽  
D.A. Kane ◽  
F.J. van Eeden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zebrafish Embryo ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Body Plan ◽  
Anterior Region ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Amphibian Embryo ◽  
Altered Expression ◽  
Spemann Organizer ◽  
Early Gastrula

We describe two genes, dino and mercedes, which are required for the organization of the zebrafish body plan. In dino mutant embryos, the tail is enlarged at the expense of the head and the anterior region of the trunk. The altered expression patterns of various marker genes reveal that, with the exception of the dorsal most marginal zone, all regions of the early dino mutant embryo acquire more ventral fates. These alterations are already apparent before the onset of gastrulation. mercedes mutant embryos show a similar but weaker phenotype, suggesting a role in the same patterning processes. The phenotypes suggests that dino and mercedes are required for the establishment of dorsal fates in both the marginal and the animal zone of the early gastrula embryo. Their function in the patterning of the ventrolateral mesoderm and the induction of the neuroectoderm is similar to the function of the Spemann organizer in the amphibian embryo.

The fate of cells in the tailbud of Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 255-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.L. Davis ◽  
M.W. Kirschner
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Small Groups ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Similar Distribution ◽  
Germ Layer ◽  
Cell Determination ◽  
Multipotent Cells ◽  
Axial Development

The vertebrate tailbud and trunk form very similar tissues. It has been a controversial question for decades whether cell determination in the developing tail proceeds as part of early axial development or whether it proceeds by a different mechanism. To examine this question more closely, we have used photoactivation of fluorescence to mark small neighborhoods of cells in the developing tailbud of Xenopus laevis. We show that, in one region of the tailbud, very small groups of adjacent cells can contribute progeny to the neural tube, notochord and somitic muscle, as well as other identified cell types within a single embryo. Groups averaging three adjacent cells at a later stage can contribute progeny with a similar distribution. Our data suggest that the tailbud contains multipotent cells that make very late germ-layer decisions.

A study of the properties, morphogenetic potencies and prospective fate of outer and inner layers of ectodermal and chordamesodermal regions during gastrulation, in various Anuran amphibians

Development ◽  
1983 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-86
Author(s):  
T. A. Dettlaff
Keyword(s):  
Outer Layer ◽  
Normal Development ◽  
Neural Plate ◽  
Ependymal Cells ◽  
Epithelial Layer ◽  
Bombina Bombina ◽  
Cell Layers ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Early Gastrula

In both the ectodermal and the chordamesodermal regions of Anuran embryos, the outer layer of cells possesses epithelial properties and has the same restricted morphogenetic potencies. It is thus interchangeable between the regions, capable of epiboly and, when underlain by notochord material, of the formation of bottle-shaped cells as at the blastoporal groove, and invagination. When taken from the chordamesoderm region, this outer layer has no inducing effect on the ectoderm of the early gastrula. In normal development the outer layer of the neural plate takes an active part in forming the neural tube cavity. It gives rise to the neuroepithelial roof of the diencephalon and medulla oblongata and, when underlain by neuroblasts that develop from the inner cell layers, to ependymal cells of the brain wall. The outer layer of the notochord material is included in the epithelial layer underlying the roof of the gastrocoel - the hypochordal plate. The inner layers of these regions consist of loosely arranged cells and normally have no epithelial properties although, when taken from the ectoderm region, they may acquire such properties upon long-term contact with the environment. However they have wide morphogenetic potencies; the differences in these potencies between cells taken from the various presumptive regions being less than the differences between outer and inner cell layers in each region. Maps are provided which show the arrangement of presumptive rudiments in the ectoderm and chordamesoderm on sagittal sections through Bombina bombina embryos in early and late gastrulation.

Misexpression of chick Vg1 in the marginal zone induces primitive streak formation

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (24) ◽  
pp. 5127-5138 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.B. Shah ◽  
I. Skromne ◽  
C.R. Hume ◽  
D.S. Kessler ◽  
K.J. Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Axis Formation ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Cell Fates ◽  
Signalling Molecules ◽  
Posterior Area ◽  
Area Pellucida

In the chick embryo, the primitive streak is the first axial structure to develop. The initiation of primitive streak formation in the posterior area pellucida is influenced by the adjacent posterior marginal zone (PMZ). We show here that chick Vg1 (cVg1), a member of the TGFbeta family of signalling molecules whose homolog in Xenopus is implicated in mesoderm induction, is expressed in the PMZ of prestreak embryos. Ectopic expression of cVg1 protein in the marginal zone chick blastoderms directs the formation of a secondary primitive streak, which subsequently develops into an ectopic embryo. We have used cell marking techniques to show that cells that contribute to the ectopic primitive streak change fate, acquiring two distinct properties of primitive streak cells, defined by gene expression and cell movements. Furthermore, naive epiblast explants exposed to cVg1 protein in vitro acquire axial mesodermal properties. Together, these results show that cVg1 can mediate ectopic axis formation in the chick by inducing new cell fates and they permit the analysis of distinct events that occur during primitive streak formation.

scholarly journals Xenopus embryonic cell adhesion to fibronectin: position-specific activation of RGD/synergy site-dependent migratory behavior at gastrulation.

1996 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 227-240 ◽  
Author(s):  
J W Ramos ◽  
D W DeSimone
Keyword(s):  
Cell Adhesion ◽  
Matrix Protein ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Cell Attachment ◽  
Extracellular Matrix Protein ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Type Iii ◽  
Basic Body ◽  
And Migration

During Xenopus laevis gastrulation, the basic body plan of the embryo is generated by movement of the marginal zone cells of the blastula into the blastocoel cavity. This morphogenetic process involves cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (FN). Regions of FN required for the attachment and migration of involuting marginal zone (IMZ) cells were analyzed in vitro using FN fusion protein substrates. IMZ cell attachment to FN is mediated by the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence located in the type III-10 repeat and by the Pro-Pro-Arg-Arg-Ala-Arg (PPRRAR) sequence in the type III-13 repeat of the Hep II domain. IMZ cells spread and migrate persistently on fusion proteins containing both the RGD and synergy site sequence Pro-Pro-Ser-Arg-Asn (PPSRN) located in the type III-9 repeat. Cell recognition of the synergy site is positionally regulated in the early embryo. During gastrulation, IMZ cells will spread and migrate on FN whereas presumptive pre-involuting mesoderm, vegetal pole endoderm, and animal cap ectoderm will not. However, animal cap ectoderm cells acquire the ability to spread and migrate on the RGD/synergy region when treated with the mesoderm inducing factor activin-A. These data suggest that mesoderm induction activates the position-specific recognition of the synergy site of FN in vivo. Moreover, we demonstrate the functional importance of this site using a monoclonal antibody that blocks synergy region-dependent cell spreading and migration on FN. Normal IMZ movement is perturbed when this antibody is injected into the blastocoel cavity indicating that IMZ cell interaction with the synergy region is required for normal gastrulation.

Structure and developmental tendency of the dorsal marginal zone in the early amphibian gastrula

Development ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 263-276
Author(s):  
Nobushige Ikushima ◽  
Setsuko Maruyama
Keyword(s):  
Outer Layer ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Kinetic Properties ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Structural Differences ◽  
Peripheral Surface ◽  
Early Gastrula ◽  
A Share

The peripheral surface of a fertilized, uncleaved egg is subdivided through cleavage and is allotted to constituent cells. This is called the primary surface. In an early morula a constituent cell has two kinds of surfaces: the primary surface, and the secondary surface, which does not participate in forming the periphery of the embryo. Electron-microscopic observations showed structural differences between the two surfaces. When the dorsal marginal zone of an early gastrula of Hynobius nebulosus is excised and immersed in Feldman's solution, the piece can easily be separated into two layers: the outer layer, whose constituent cells are given a share of the primary surface, and the inner layer, whose constituent cells are completely covered only by the secondary surface. Both an explanted piece of the outer layer and an intact double-layered piece show three kinds of movement: spreading, convergence followed by stretching, and spherical thickening. The inner layer is kinetically very inert, showing slight spreading and thickening. An explanted piece of the outer layer differentiates into axial mesodermal structures, while the inner layer does not. When a piece of either the inner or the outer layer is implanted in the blastocoel of another gastrula, it induces deuterencephalic and spino-caudal structures and seems to differentiate into axial mesodermal structures. Differences of kinetic properties and differentiation are considered to result from the fact that the outer layer has the primary surface, while the inner layer does not. Functional effects of the primary surface on the movement of tissues and differentiation are discussed.

Regional specification within the mesoderm of early embryos of Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 100 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Dale ◽  
J.M. Slack
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Marginal Zone ◽  
Mesoderm Induction ◽  
Intermediate Type ◽  
Cell Stage ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Cell Embryo ◽  
Single Blastomeres

We have further analysed the roles of mesoderm induction and dorsalization in the formation of a regionally specified mesoderm in early embryos of Xenopus laevis. First, we have examined the regional specificity of mesoderm induction by isolating single blastomeres from the vegetalmost tier of the 32-cell embryo and combining each with a lineage-labelled (FDA) animal blastomere tier. Whereas dorsovegetal (D1) blastomeres induce ‘dorsal-type’ mesoderm (notochord and muscle), laterovegetal and ventrovegetal blastomeres (D2–4) induce either ‘intermediate-type’ (muscle, mesothelium, mesenchyme and blood) or ‘ventral-type’ (mesothelium, mesenchyme and blood) mesoderm. No significant difference in inductive specificity between blastomeres D2, 3 and 4 could be detected. We also show that laterovegetal and ventrovegetal blastomeres from early cleavage stages can have a dorsal inductive potency partially activated by operative procedures, resulting in the induction of intermediate-type mesoderm. Second, we have determined the state of specification of ventral blastomeres by isolating and culturing them in vitro between the 4-cell stage and the early gastrula stage. The majority of isolates from the ventral half of the embryo gave extreme ventral types of differentiation at all stages tested. Although a minority of cases formed intermediate-type and dorsal-type mesoderms we believe these to result from either errors in our assessment of the prospective DV axis or from an enhancement, provoked by microsurgery, of some dorsal inductive specificity. The results of induction and isolation experiments suggest that only two states of specification exist in the mesoderm of the pregastrula embryo, a dorsal type and a ventral type. Finally we have made a comprehensive series of combinations between different regions of the marginal zone using FDA to distinguish the components. We show that, in combination with dorsal-type mesoderm, ventral-type mesoderm becomes dorsalized to the level of intermediate-type mesoderm. Dorsal-type mesoderm is not ventralized in these combinations. Dorsalizing activity is confined to a restricted sector of the dorsal marginal zone, it is wider than the prospective notochord and seems to be graded from a high point at the dorsal midline. The results of these experiments strengthen the case for the three-signal model proposed previously, i.e. dorsal and ventral mesoderm inductions followed by dorsalization, as the simplest explanation capable of accounting for regional specification within the mesoderm of early Xenopus embryos.

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