Developmental potency of the murine allantois

Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (14) ◽  
pp. 2769-2780 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.M. Downs ◽  
C. Harmann

The murine allantois is the future umbilical component of the placenta. The base of the allantois is also thought to contain the future germ line. We have examined the fate and developmental potency of cells within the murine allantois during gastrulation. lacZ-expressing headfold-stage allantoises (approximately 8.0 days postcoitum; dpc) were subdivided into three proximodistal regions and transplanted into three sites in synchronous non-transgenic host embryos: the primitive streak at the level of prospective paraxial mesoderm, the primitive streak at the level of lateral plate mesoderm, and the base of the allantois. After 23 hours in culture, operated conceptuses were examined histologically for contribution of donor allantoic cells to the conceptus. None of the allantoic regions contributed to paraxial mesoderm when placed into the fetus, but all three colonized the endothelium and adjacent mesenchyme of the dorsal aorta. The mid-region was most efficient at colonizing endothelium, whereas the base was the only allantoic region to exhibit relative pluripotency, colonizing several derivatives of all three primary germ layers. Differences in the state of differentiation along the proximodistal axis of the allantois were further borne out when the three allantoic regions were placed into the base of the allantois of host conceptuses. Striking differences were observed in final position along the proximodistal axis of the host allantois. Most grafted cells translocated distally from the base; however, basal donor allantoic cells translocated typically only as far as the host's mid-region, whereas donor allantoic tip cells typically returned to the tip, often colonizing the chorioallantoic fusion junction. Together, our data reveal that the headfold-stage allantois may contain a proximodistal gradient of differentiation, and raise intriguing questions about how this gradient was established and the role it plays in umbilical vasculogenesis.

Author(s):  
Pankaj Sahai-Hernandez ◽  
Claire Pouget ◽  
Ondřej Svoboda ◽  
David Traver

AbstractDevelopment of the dorsal aorta is a key step in the establishment of the adult blood-forming system, since hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) arise from ventral aortic endothelium in all vertebrate animals studied. Work in zebrafish has demonstrated that arterial and venous endothelial precursors arise from distinct subsets of lateral plate mesoderm. Earlier studies in the chick showed that paraxial mesoderm generates another subset of endothelial cells that incorporate into the dorsal aorta to replace HSPCs as they exit the aorta and enter circulation. Here we show that a similar process occurs in the zebrafish, where a population of endothelial precursors delaminates from the somitic dermomyotome to incorporate exclusively into the developing dorsal aorta. Whereas somite-derived endothelial cells (SDECs) lack hematopoietic potential, they act as local niche to support the emergence of HSPCs from neighboring hemogenic endothelium. Thus, at least three subsets of endothelial cells (ECs) contribute to the developing dorsal aorta: vascular ECs, hemogenic ECs, and SDECs. Taken together, our findings indicate that the distinct spatial origins of endothelial precursors dictate different cellular potentials within the developing dorsal aorta.


Development ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 128 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Mahlapuu ◽  
M. Ormestad ◽  
S. Enerback ◽  
P. Carlsson

The murine Foxf1 gene encodes a forkhead transcription factor expressed in extra-embryonic and lateral plate mesoderm and later in splanchnic mesenchyme surrounding the gut and its derivatives. We have disrupted Foxf1 and show that mutant embryos die at midgestation due to defects in mesodermal differentiation and cell adhesion. The embryos do not turn and become deformed by the constraints of a small, inflexible amnion. Extra-embryonic structures exhibit a number of differentiation defects: no vasculogenesis occurs in yolk sac or allantois; chorioallantoic fusion fails; the amnion does not expand with the growth of the embryo, but misexpresses vascular and hematopoietic markers. Separation of the bulk of yolk sac mesoderm from the endodermal layer and adherence between mesoderm of yolk sac and amnion, indicate altered cell adhesion properties and enhanced intramesodermal cohesion. A possible cause of this is misexpression of the cell-adhesion protein VCAM1 in Foxf1-deficient extra-embryonic mesoderm, which leads to co-expression of VCAM with its receptor, alpha(4)-integrin. The expression level of Bmp4 is decreased in the posterior part of the embryo proper. Consistent with this, mesodermal proliferation in the primitive streak is reduced and somite formation is retarded. Expression of Foxf1 and the homeobox gene Irx3 defines the splanchnic and somatic mesodermal layers, respectively. In Foxf1-deficient embryos incomplete separation of splanchnic and somatic mesoderm is accompanied by misexpression of Irx3 in the splanchnopleure, which implicates Foxf1 as a repressor of Irx3 and as a factor involved in coelom formation.


Development ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 122 (5) ◽  
pp. 1363-1371 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Pardanaud ◽  
D. Luton ◽  
M. Prigent ◽  
L.M. Bourcheix ◽  
M. Catala ◽  
...  

We have shown previously by means of quail/chick transplantations that external and visceral organs, i.e., somatopleural and splanchnopleural derivatives, acquire their endothelial network through different mechanisms, namely immigration (termed angiogenesis) versus in situ emergence of precursors (or vasculogenesis). We have traced the distribution of QH1-positive cells in chick hosts after replacement of the last somites by quail somites (orthotopic grafts) or lateral plate mesoderm (heterotopic grafts). The results lead to the conclusion that the embryo becomes vascularized by endothelial precursors from two distinct regions, splanchnopleural mesoderm and paraxial mesoderm. The territories respectively vascularized are complementary, precursors from the paraxial mesoderm occupy the body wall and kidney, i.e., they settle along with the other paraxial mesoderm derivatives and colonize the somatopleure. The precursors from the two origins have distinct recognition and potentialities properties: endothelial precursors of paraxial origin are barred from vascularizing visceral organs and from integrating into the floor of the aorta, and are never associated with hemopoiesis; splanchnopleural mesoderm grafted in the place of somites, gives off endothelial cells to body wall and kidney but also visceral organs. It gives rise to hemopoietic precursors in addition to endothelial cells.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-29
Author(s):  
Uzma Daud ◽  
Qasim Muneer ◽  
Javeria Noor ◽  
Fahad Raza ◽  
Sarah Khalid

Background: The versatile and dynamic activities of Panax Ginseng are attributed to its active components. They are readily available over the counter and are known for their effects as an aphrodisiac & health building; in addition, they are given rather generously during pregnancy, as they are considered virtuous for the baby and mother. Despite its easy availability and excess usage, little is known about its effects on the fetus. The current experimental design was focused towards the lack of differentiation and inhibition of cell growth of mesodermal derivatives inflicted by PanaxGingex. Methods:18 pregnant albino dams were randomly divided into three groups; Group A was control, Group B was Low dose and Group C was labeled as High dose groups. Tissues (bone, kidney and blood) were selected as derivatives of paraxial, intermediate and lateral plate mesoderm respectively and were used for light microscopic study. Results and Conclusion: The light microscopic examination demonstrated extensive apoptosis and an escalation of angiogenesis. Both the histological findings were not only statistically significant but was clearly indicative of dysmorphogenesis. The results of present study raise a finger towards the unsupervised practice of over the counter preparations especially during the vital antenatal period of development.


Development ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96
Author(s):  
Glenn C. Rosenquist

The origin of the limb-bud cells was determined by tracing the movements of [3H]thymidine-labelled grafts excised from late medium-streak to 5-somite stage chick embryos and transplanted to the epiblast, streak, and endoderm-mesoderm of similarly staged recipient embryos. Although exact definition of the prelimb areas was not possible because of the small number of grafts placed at each developmental stage, the study showed in general that at the late medium-streak stage the future limb-bud epithelium is in the epiblast (dorsal) layer near the lateral margin of the area pellucida. It moves medially toward the embryonic axis, just lateral to the premesoderm cells which will be invaginated at the primitive streak. With regression of the streak, the limb-bud epithelium moves relatively anteriorly into a position dorsal to the limb-bud mesoderm, beginning at least as early as the early head-fold stage. At the definitive-streak stage, the future limb-bud mesoderm is in the epiblast layer about halfway from the streak to the lateral margin of the area pellucida, at a level about halfway between the anterior and posterior ends of the streak. From this position the prelimb mesoderm migrates medially to the streak, and is invaginated into the mesoderm layer at a position about halfway between the anterior and posterior ends of the streak; after the head-process stage, it migrates anteriorly and laterally into the somatic layer of the lateral plate, ventral to the limb-bud epithelium. Mesoderm which will form the anterior limb-bud migrates anterior to mesoderm which will form the posterior limb-bud; mesoderm which will form the ventral portion of each limb-bud migrates posterolateral to mesoderm which will form the dorsal portion of each limb-bud.


Development ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 124 (9) ◽  
pp. 1631-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.P. Tam ◽  
M. Parameswaran ◽  
S.J. Kinder ◽  
R.P. Weinberger

The cardiogenic potency of cells in the epiblast of the early primitive-streak stage (early PS) embryo was tested by heterotopic transplantation. The results of this study show that cells in the anterior and posterior epiblast of the early PS-stage embryos have similar cardiogenic potency, and that they differentiated to heart cells after they were transplanted directly to the heart field of the late PS embryo. That the epiblast cells can acquire a cardiac fate without any prior act of ingression through the primitive streak or movement within the mesoderm suggests that neither morphogenetic event is critical for the specification of the cardiogenic fate. The mesodermal cells that have recently ingressed through the primitive streak can express a broad cell fate that is characteristic of the pre-ingressed cells in the host when they were returned to the epiblast. However, mesoderm cells that have ingressed through the primitive streak did not contribute to the lateral plate mesoderm after transplantation back to the epiblast, implying that some restriction of lineage potency may have occurred during ingression. Early PS stage epiblast cells that were transplanted to the epiblast of the mid PS host embryos colonised the embryonic mesoderm but not the extraembryonic mesoderm. This departure from the normal cell fate indicates that the allocation of epiblast cells to the mesodermal lineages is dependent on the timing of their recruitment to the primitive streak and the morphogenetic options that are available to the ingressing cells at that instance.


Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (16) ◽  
pp. 3873-3885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara J. Venters ◽  
Charles P. Ordahl

The dorsomedial lip (DML) of the somite dermomyotome is the source of cells for the early growth and morphogenesis of the epaxial primary myotome and the overlying dermomyotome epithelium. We have used quail-chick transplantation to investigate the mechanistic basis for DML activity. The ablated DML of chick wing-level somites was replaced with tissue fragments from various mesoderm regions of quail embryos and their capacity to form myotomal tissue assessed by confocal microscopy. Transplanted fragments from the epithelial sheet region of the dermomyotome exhibited full DML growth and morphogenetic capacity. Ventral somite fragments (sclerotome), head paraxial mesoderm or non-paraxial (lateral plate) mesoderm tested in this assay were each able to expand mitotically in concert with the surrounding paraxial mesoderm, although no myogenic potential was evident. When ablated DMLs were replaced with fragments of the dermomyotome ventrolateral lip of wing-level somites or pre-somitic mesoderm (segmental plate), myotome development was evident but was delayed or otherwise limited in some cases. Timed DML ablation-replacement experiments demonstrate that DML activity is progressive throughout the embryonic period (to at least E7) and its continued presence is necessary for the complete patterning of each myotome segment. The results of serial transplantation and BrdU pulse-chase experiments are most consistent with the conclusion that the DML consists of a self-renewing population of progenitor cells that are the primary source of cells driving the growth and morphogenesis of the myotome and dermomyotome in the epaxial domain of the body.


Development ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 129 (14) ◽  
pp. 3421-3429
Author(s):  
Thomas Schlange ◽  
Hans-Henning Arnold ◽  
Thomas Brand

A model of left-right axis formation in the chick involves inhibition of bone morphogenetic proteins by the antagonist Car as a mechanism of upregulating Nodal in the left lateral plate mesoderm. By contrast, expression of CFC, a competence factor, which is absolutely required for Nodal signaling in the lateral plate mesoderm is dependent on a functional BMP signaling pathway. We have therefore investigated the relationship between BMP and Nodal in further detail. We implanted BMP2 and Noggin-expressing cells into the left lateral plate and paraxial mesoderm and observed a strong upregulation of Nodal and its target genes Pitx2 and Nkx3.2. In addition Cfc, the Nodal type II receptor ActrIIa and Snr were found to depend on BMP signaling for their expression. Comparison of the expression domains of Nodal, Bmp2, Car and Cfc revealed co-expression of Nodal, Cfc and Bmp2, while Car and Nodal only partially overlapped. Ectopic application of BMP2, Nodal, and Car as well as combinations of this signaling molecules to the right lateral plate mesoderm revealed that BMP2 and Car need to synergize in order to specify left identity. We propose a novel model of left-right axis formation, which involves BMP as a positive regulator of Nodal signaling in the chick embryo.


2008 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dylan Sweetman ◽  
Laura Wagstaff ◽  
Oliver Cooper ◽  
Cornelis Weijer ◽  
Andrea Münsterberg

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document