The Xenopus laevis tail-forming region

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 249-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. S. Tucker ◽  
J.M.W. Slack
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Normal Process ◽  
Tail Bud ◽  
Fate Map ◽  
Tail Development ◽  
Neutral Site ◽  
Neurula Stage

A fate map is produced for the Xenopus tail-forming region at the neurula stage by orthotopic grafting of tissue labelled with fluorescein-dextran amine. It is shown that the axial tissues of the tail are derived from a rectangle 700 micrometre wide by 600 micrometre long, while the epidermis of the tail is drawn from a much larger area. The fate map shows that much of the final tail is not formed from the tail bud itself, but by a displacement of trunk axial tissue relative to the proctodaeum. A specification map is also produced by culturing parts of the tail-forming region in vitro or as grafts on a neutral site on host embryos. For the axial tissues this map is identical to the fate map, showing that the tail-forming region is embryologically mosaic. The prospective tail epidermis can, however, regulate defects. It is shown that previous claims of regeneration of the Xenopus tail bud are misleading. Removal of the tail-forming region totally prevents tail development. Removal of the tail bud leads to a partial tail, formed by the normal process of displacement of trunk tissue relative to the proctodaeum. Even when only part of the tail bud is removed the tail is still truncated. This shows that there is no terminal regeneration of the tail at embryonic stages.

The Effect of Chloroacetophenone on Chick Embryos Cultured in vitro

Development ◽  
1962 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 373-382
Author(s):  
M. S. Lakshmi
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Primitive Streak ◽  
Poultry Farm ◽  
Chick Embryos ◽  
Normal Process ◽  
Strong Emphasis ◽  
The Brain

Brachet's (1950) strong emphasis on the role of —SH-containing proteins in the process of induction has stimulated a study of the interference in the normal process of morphogenesis of chick embryos by chloroacetophenone, which has been described by Beatty (1951) as a specific and irreversible —SH inhibitor. He studied the effect of chloroacetophenone on the development of embryos of Rana and Triturus employing different concentrations. Deuchar (1957) also studied the action of the same chemical on the embryos of Xenopus laevis and has recorded abnormalities mainly in the brain and the eye. In the present work ω-chloroacetophenone (CAP) commercially known as phenacyl chloride (ω—C6H5.CO.CH2Cl) was employed. The sample used was a B.D.H. product. Fresh fertilized hens' eggs brought from a local poultry farm were incubated at 37·5° C. for 16 to 18 hours to obtain definitive primitive-streak stages (range of length from 1·75 mm. to 2 mm.) or for about 22 hours to obtain head-process stages (average length of the head process alone 0·56 mm.).

scholarly journals Construction of a mammalian embryo model from stem cells organized by a morphogen signalling centre

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peng-Fei Xu ◽  
Ricardo Moraes Borges ◽  
Jonathan Fillatre ◽  
Maraysa de Oliveira-Melo ◽  
Tao Cheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Cell Tracking ◽  
Cardiac Tissue ◽  
Embryonic Stem ◽  
Mammalian Embryo ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vitro Model ◽  
Neurula Stage

AbstractGenerating properly differentiated embryonic structures in vitro from pluripotent stem cells remains a challenge. Here we show that instruction of aggregates of mouse embryonic stem cells with an experimentally engineered morphogen signalling centre, that functions as an organizer, results in the development of embryo-like entities (embryoids). In situ hybridization, immunolabelling, cell tracking and transcriptomic analyses show that these embryoids form the three germ layers through a gastrulation process and that they exhibit a wide range of developmental structures, highly similar to neurula-stage mouse embryos. Embryoids are organized around an axial chordamesoderm, with a dorsal neural plate that displays histological properties similar to the murine embryo neuroepithelium and that folds into a neural tube patterned antero-posteriorly from the posterior midbrain to the tip of the tail. Lateral to the chordamesoderm, embryoids display somitic and intermediate mesoderm, with beating cardiac tissue anteriorly and formation of a vasculature network. Ventrally, embryoids differentiate a primitive gut tube, which is patterned both antero-posteriorly and dorso-ventrally. Altogether, embryoids provide an in vitro model of mammalian embryo that displays extensive development of germ layer derivatives and that promises to be a powerful tool for in vitro studies and disease modelling.

scholarly journals Involvement of single-stranded tails in homologous recombination of DNA injected into Xenopus laevis oocyte nuclei.

1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 3268-3277 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Maryon ◽  
D Carroll
Keyword(s):  
Homologous Recombination ◽  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Xenopus Laevis Oocyte ◽  
Molecular Models ◽  
Mixed Substrates ◽  
Two Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis ◽  
Recombination Pathway ◽  
Made In

Homologous recombination of DNA molecules injected into Xenopus laevis oocyte nuclei is extremely efficient when those molecules are linear and have overlapping homologous ends. It was previously shown that a 5'----3' exonuclease activity in oocytes attacks injected linear DNAs and leaves them with single-stranded 3' tails. We tested the hypothesis that such tailed molecules are early intermediates on the pathway to recombination products. Substrates with 3' tails were made in vitro and injected into oocytes, where they recombined rapidly and efficiently. In experiments with mixed substrates, molecules with 3' tails entered recombination intermediates and products more rapidly than did molecules with flush ends. Molecules endowed in vitro with 5' tails also recombined efficiently in oocytes, but their rate was not faster than for flush-ended substrates. In most cases, the 5' tails served as templates for resynthesis of the 3' strands, regenerating duplex ends which then entered the normal recombination pathway. In oocytes from one animal, some of the 5' tails were removed, and this was exacerbated when resynthesis was partially blocked. Analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of recombination intermediates from 5'-tailed substrates confirmed that they had acquired 3' tails as a result of the action of the 5'----3' exonuclease. These results demonstrate that homologous recombination in oocytes proceeds via a pathway that involves single-stranded 3' tails. Molecular models incorporating this feature are discussed.

scholarly journals Inositol incorporation into phosphoinositides in retinal horizontal cells of Xenopus laevis: enhancement by acetylcholine, inhibition by glycine.

1984 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 686-691 ◽  
Author(s):  
R E Anderson ◽  
J G Hollyfield
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Photoreceptor Cells ◽  
Horizontal Cells ◽  
Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Gamma Aminobutyric Acid ◽  
Light Effect ◽  
Synaptic Inputs ◽  
Absorption Of Light

The absorption of light by photoreceptor cells leads to an increased incorporation of [2-3H]inositol into phosphoinositides of horizontal cells in the retina of Xenopus laevis in vitro. We have identified several retinal neurotransmitters that are involved in regulating this response. Incubation with glycine, the neurotransmitter of an interplexiform cell that has direct synaptic input onto horizontal cells, abolishes the light effect. This inhibition is reversed by preincubation with strychnine. Acetylcholine added to the culture medium enhances the incorporation of [2-3H]inositol into phosphoinositides in horizontal cells when retinas are incubated in the dark. This effect is inhibited by preincubation with atropine. However, atropine alone does not inhibit the light-enhanced incorporation of [2-3H]inositol into phosphoinositides in the retina. gamma-Aminobutyric acid, the neurotransmitter of retinal horizontal cells in X. laevis, as well as dopamine and norepinephrine, have no effect on the incorporation of [2-3H]inositol into phosphoinositides. These studies demonstrate that the light-enhanced incorporation of [2-3H]inositol into phosphoinositides of retinal horizontal cells is regulated by specific neurotransmitters, and that there are probably several synaptic inputs into horizontal cells which control this process.

Expression of N-CAM precedes neural induction in Pleurodeles waltl (urodele, amphibian)

Development ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 106 (4) ◽  
pp. 675-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P. Saint-Jeannet ◽  
F. Foulquier ◽  
C. Goridis ◽  
A.M. Duprat
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Neural Induction ◽  
Gastrula Stage ◽  
Pleurodeles Waltl ◽  
Early Gastrula

The appearance and localization of N-CAM during neural induction were studied in Pleurodeles waltl embryos and compared with recent contradictory results reported in Xenopus laevis. A monoclonal antibody raised against mouse N-CAM was used. In the nervous system of Pleurodeles, it recognized two glycoproteins of 180 and 140×10(3) M(r) which are the Pleurodeles equivalent of N-CAM-180 and -140. Using this probe for immunohistochemistry and immunocytochemistry, we showed that N-CAM was already expressed in presumptive ectoderm at the early gastrula stage. In late gastrula embryos, a slight increase in staining was observed in the neurectoderm, whereas the labelling persisted in the noninduced ectoderm. When induced ectodermal cells were isolated at the late gastrula stage and cultured in vitro up to 14 days, a faint polarized labelling of cells was observed initially. During differentiation, the staining increased and became progressively restricted to differentiating neurons.

A cDNA clone for a polyadenylated RNA-binding protein of Xenopus laevis oocytes hybridizes to four developmentally regulated mRNAs

1985 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 2697-2704
Author(s):  
L J Lorenz ◽  
J D Richter
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Cdna Clone ◽  
Rna Binding ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
In Vitro Translation ◽  
Xenopus Laevis Oocytes ◽  
Cdna Insert ◽  
Alternative Processing

Xenopus laevis oocytes contain a unique group of proteins which decrease during oogenesis, bind poly(A) RNA, and possibly play a role in the regulation of translation. A monoclonal antibody generated against one of these proteins was used to screen an expression vector cDNA library. A cDNA clone was isolated and confirmed to code for the binding protein by in vitro translation of hybrid-selected RNA followed by immunoprecipitation. This cDNA, when used in RNA gel blots, hybridized to four transcripts of 2.0, 1.7 (two transcripts of similar size), and 1.2 kilobases. All of the transcripts decreased in amount during oogenesis and were not evident in somatic cells. In addition, the fraction of the transcripts associated with polysomes decreased during oogenesis. Digestion of the cDNA insert with PstI generated two fragments of 220 and 480 base pairs which, when used as probes in an RNA gel blot, hybridized to unique as well as common transcripts. Genomic Southern blots suggested the presence of a single gene, indicating that these transcripts arose by alternative processing.

Synthesis of RNA in oocytes of Xenopus laevis during culture in vitro

Development ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 515-532
Author(s):  
A. Colman
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
In Vitro Culture ◽  
Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Culture Medium ◽  
Salt Medium ◽  
Complex Media ◽  
18S Ribosomal Rna ◽  
Rna Precursor

RNA synthesis can be maintained in large oocytes of Xenopus laevis during periods of in vitro culture of at least 10 days. A simple salt medium, modified Barth's solution, is found to be as effective a culture medium for these oocytes as several other complex media. The newly synthesized RNA is characterized electrophoretically and shown to consist predominantly of ribosomal RNA precursor, 28S and 18S ribosomal RNA, and 4S RNA. The distribution of this RNA within the oocyte is detected autoradiographically, where it is found to be greatly concentrated over the nucleoli. No qualitative alterations in either of these parameters are found during culture, within the limits of sensitivity of the assay procedures.

scholarly journals Identification of a regeneration-organizing cell in the Xenopus tail

Science ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 364 (6441) ◽  
pp. 653-658 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Aztekin ◽  
T. W. Hiscock ◽  
J. C. Marioni ◽  
J. B. Gurdon ◽  
B. D. Simons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Transcriptional Profiling ◽  
Cellular Mechanism ◽  
Cell Type ◽  
Genetic Ablation ◽  
Tail Development ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Early Embryos ◽  
Single Cell Rna Sequencing ◽  
Wound Epidermis

Unlike mammals, Xenopus laevis tadpoles have a high regenerative potential. To characterize this regenerative response, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing after tail amputation. By comparing naturally occurring regeneration-competent and -incompetent tadpoles, we identified a previously unrecognized cell type, which we term the regeneration-organizing cell (ROC). ROCs are present in the epidermis during normal tail development and specifically relocalize to the amputation plane of regeneration-competent tadpoles, forming the wound epidermis. Genetic ablation or manual removal of ROCs blocks regeneration, whereas transplantation of ROC-containing grafts induces ectopic outgrowths in early embryos. Transcriptional profiling revealed that ROCs secrete ligands associated with key regenerative pathways, signaling to progenitors to reconstitute lost tissue. These findings reveal the cellular mechanism through which ROCs form the wound epidermis and ensure successful regeneration.

The role of water-regulating mechanisms in the development of the haploid syndrome in Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 449-462
Author(s):  
Louie Hamilton ◽  
P. H. Tuft
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Cell Number ◽  
Gastrula Stage ◽  
Tail Bud ◽  
Volume Changes ◽  
Membrane Area ◽  
Flow Through ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Haploid Embryos

The uptake of water by haploid and diploid sibling embryos of Xenopus laevis has been investigated by measuring the density changes which occur during the development of intact embryos from the blastula to the late tail-bud stage, and of explants from which most of the presumptive endoderm has been removed. The results show that up to the mid-gastrula stage there is no difference between the haploid and diploid embryos; but from then on, whereas the diploid volume increases steadily, the haploid gastrulae undergo a series of cyclical volume changes due to loss of fluid through the blastopore. It is concluded that this is the result of an excessive inflow of water through the haploid ectoderm, because it was found that the volume of haploid ectodermal explants increased much more rapidly than the volume of similar diploid explants. Excess flow through the haploid ectoderm also accounts for other characteristics of the haploid syndrome – microcephaly and lordosis. It is suggested that it is the doubling of the cell number in haploid embryos with the consequent 25% increase in aggregate cell membrane area which accounts for the difference between the uptake of water by the two types of embryos. It is also suggested that changes in the rate of water flow through the ectoderm and endoderm which are thought to account for the accumulation of water in the blastocoel and archenteron in the normal diploid embryo arise in a similar way.

The effect of egg rotation on the differentiation of primordial germ cells in Xenopus laevis

Development ◽  
1985 ◽  
Vol 90 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-99
Author(s):  
J. H. Cleine ◽  
K. E. Dixon
Keyword(s):  
Xenopus Laevis ◽  
Germ Cells ◽  
Germ Plasm ◽  
Primordial Germ Cells ◽  
Intermediate Zone ◽  
Gastrula Stage ◽  
Tail Bud ◽  
Axis Orientation ◽  
Early Gastrula ◽  
Number Of Cells

Eggs of X. laevis were rotated (sperm entrance point downwards) either through 90° (1×90 embryos) or 180° in two 90° steps (2×90 embryos) at approximately 25–30 min postfertilization after cooling to 13°C. The embryos were kept in their off-axis orientation and cooled until the early gastrula stage. Rotation resulted in relocation of egg constituents with slight changes in the distribution of outer cortical and subcortical components and major changes in inner constituents where the heavy yolk and cytoplasm appeared to reorient as a single coherent unit to maintain their relative positions with respect to gravity. Development of rotated embryos was such that regions of the egg which normally give rise to posterior structures instead developed into anterior structures and vice versa. Germ plasm was displaced in the vegetal-dorsal-animal direction (the direction of rotation) and was segregated into dorsal micromeres and intermediate zone cells in 2×90 embryos and dorsal macromeres and intermediate zone cells in 1×90 embryos. In consequence, at the gastrula stage, cells containing germ plasm were situated closer to the dorsal lip of the blastopore after rotation — in 2×90 gastrulas around and generally above the dorsal lip. Hence, in rotated embryos, the cells containing germ plasm were invaginated earlier during gastrulation and therefore were carried further anteriorly in the endoderm to a mean position anterior to the midpoint of the endoderm. The number of cells containing germ plasm in rotated embryos was not significantly different from that in controls at all stages up to and including tail bud (stage 25). However at stages 46, 48 and 49 the number of primordial germ cells was reduced in 1×90 embryos in one experiment of three and in 2×90 embryos in all experiments. We tested the hypothesis that the decreased number of primordial germ cells in the genital ridges was due to the inability of cells to migrate to the genital ridges from their ectopic location in the endoderm. When anterior endoderm was grafted into posterior endodermal regions the number of primordial germ cells increased slightly or not at all suggesting that the anterior displacement of the cells containing germ plasm was not the only factor responsible for the decreased number of primordial germ cells in rotated embryos. Other possible explanations are discussed.

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