Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Muneoka

Publications and source records attributed to K Muneoka.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Regeneration of HoxD expression domains during pattern regulation in chick wing buds.

The expression domains of genes located at the 5' end of the HoxD (formerly Hox-4) complex appear to correlate with pattern along both the proximal-distal (PrDi) and the anterior-posterior (AP) axes of the developing limb bud, and it has been suggested that the HoxD gene products are involved in the specification of positional information during limb development. The apical ectodermal ridge is required for limb outgrowth and is thought to influence mesodermal cells at the distal end of the limb bud in a region within which patterning events occur. In this paper, we examine the expression of 5' HoxD genes during PrDi pattern regulation in chick wing buds. In limbs undergoing pattern regulation, we demonstrate that the domains of HoxD11 and HoxD13 gene expression are "regenerated" within 24 hr of removal of the distal mesenchyme. In contrast, in limbs which will not form distal structures, HoxD13 expression becomes reduced.

Animals↗

FGF-2 induces regeneration of the chick limb bud.

The chick limb bud is unable to mount a regenerative response following amputation at any stage of its development. Local application of heparan sulfate conjugated beads loaded with fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) onto an amputated stage 25 chick limb bud results in a high frequency (88%) of limbs in which the regeneration of digit-like structures was induced. The regenerative response is associated with the location of the FGF-2-loaded beads on the limb stump. This is the first report of the induction of a regenerative response in a higher vertebrate limb by a chemically defined agent.

Animals↗

Conversion of anterior limb bud cells to ZPA signaling cells in vitro and in vivo.

Following a graft of posterior (zone of polarizing activity or ZPA) cells into the anterior margin of the developing chick wing bud, anterior cells are induced to alter their developmental fate and form structures that are normally composed of posterior cells. When anterior cells are cultured under microdissociation conditions they develop ZPA signaling ability within 24 hr. ZPA signaling in these cultures is transient and once established the level of ZPA signaling declines with time in culture. ZPA signaling in anterior cells is sensitive to treatment with fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2); the development of ZPA signaling is inhibited when nonsignaling anterior cells are cultured in the presence of FGF-2. Conversely, when anterior cells that have developed ZPA signaling are treated with FGF-2, ZPA signaling levels are maintained. Thus, our results suggest that FGF-2 maintains or stabilizes the positional character of anterior (nonsignaling) cells, as well as anterior ZPA signaling converted cells, and posterior (ZPA signaling) limb bud cells in vitro (R. Anderson, M. Landry, and K. Muneoka (1993) Development 117, 1421-1433). In addition, anterior cells will convert to ZPA signaling cells in vivo following apical ectodermal ridge (AER) removal, suggesting that a factor(s) localized to the AER prevents anterior cells from developing ZPA signaling capability during limb outgrowth. These findings indicate that nonsignaling anterior limb bud cells have the potential to become ZPA signaling cells and that FGF-2, or a related factor, functions in the maintenance of positional states in the developing limb.

Animals↗

Effects of the altered serotonergic signalling by neonatal treatment with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine, ritanserin or clomipramine on the adrenocortical stress response and the glucocorticoid receptor binding in the hippocampus in adult rats.

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of neonatal alterations in 5-HT signalling on the regulation of endocrine stress response in adult rats. The neonatal blockade of 5-HT transmission by 5,7-DHT or ritanserin treatment did not alter the density of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding sites in the hippocampus, although a 5,7-DHT-induced lesion was clearly shown to decrease in 5-HT content by greater than 80% in the hippocampus. In addition, the animals pretreated with the blockade of 5-HT transmission during early life did not exhibit a hyperresponsiveness of the adrenocortical response to stress. On the other hand, the neonatal administration of the 5-HT uptake inhibitor, clomipramine, was shown to lower the stress responsiveness of the adrenocortical axis in adulthood.

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine↗

Periodic maternal deprivation alters stress response in adult offspring: potentiates the negative feedback regulation of restraint stress-induced adrenocortical response and reduces the frequencies of open field-induced behaviors.

The effects of periodic maternal deprivation (PMD) treatment on the adrenocortical stress response and on open-field behavior in adult offspring were investigated. Sprague-Dawley rat pups were deprived of mothers daily for 4.5 h during the first 3 weeks of life. PMD treatment resulted in lower corticosterone levels during restraint stress later in life. The result of dexamethasone suppression test indicated that PMD treatment caused a potentiation of the negative feedback function of adrenocortical response. These effects of PMD were not accompanied by an increased density of the hippocampal glucocorticoid receptor which has been reported to be induced in neonatal handling treatment (brief 15-min maternal deprivation). Serotonin (5-HT)-2 and beta-adrenergic binding sites were also examined in cerebral cortex and no change of binding capacities were induced by PMD treatment. In the open-field test, PMD treatment decreased the number of ambulations and rearings but did not affect a frequency of defecation. From these results, it is suggested that PMD treatment leads rats to be insensitive to environmental stimuli in adulthood.

Adrenal Cortex↗

Reduction of beta-adrenergic receptors in atrial cell membranes of patients following mild to moderate heart failure.

The density of cardiac beta-adrenoceptors (Bmax) was measured in eighteen patients [2 with atrial septal defect (ostium secundum), 4 with aortic valve disease, 3 with mitral valve disease, 1 with aortic and mitral valve disease, 5 with a history of myocardial infarction, and 3 with angina pectoris] following mild to moderate cardiac failure. Measures were obtained by cardiac catheterization prior to cardiac surgery and also during the surgical procedures. On the basis of symptoms immediately preceding surgery, the severity of the condition in each patient was categorized as either Class I (n = 5) or Class II (n = 13) following the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification system. The Bmax was measured using right atrial appendage tissue obtained during cardiac surgery. [125I]-iodocyanopindolol was used for the assay. The Bmax of atrial cell membranes in patients with NYHA class II was significantly lower than that of class I (34.1 +/- 2.5 vs 55.4 +/- 9.3 fmol/mg protein, M +/- SE, p < 0.05). Correlation coefficients between the Bmax and hemodynamic parameters measured just prior to cardiac surgery were examined, but only that between Bmax and the minimum value of the time derivative of left ventricular pressure (max negative dp/dt) was significant (r = -0.552, p < 0.05). Further study is needed to understand and clarify the relationship between Bmax and dp/dt min.

Adult↗

3T3 cell integration and differentiative potential during limb development in the mouse.

In this study we have investigated the ability of embryonic mouse limb cells to induce the differentiation of 3T3 cells both in vivo and in vitro. Using the exo utero surgical technique we introduced labeled 3T3 cells into the embryonic mouse limb and monitored their subsequent development. We found no indication that the normal pattern of tissue differentiation was perturbed; rather we observed that 3T3 cells were closely associated with a variety of limb mesodermal tissues which include muscle, tendon, and ligament. In very rare instances did we observe 3T3 cells associated with cartilage. To further investigate the differentiative potential of 3T3 cells we cocultured labeled 3T3 cells with limb cells under conditions that favored either cartilage or muscle differentiation. The results from these experiments suggest that 3T3 cells avoid regions of chondrogenesis and rarely participate in myotube formation. We conclude that 3T3 cells are not responding to differentiation signals present in the developing limb, but rather are responding to signals involved in growth and tissue morphogenesis.

3T3 Cells↗

Maintenance of ZPA signaling in cultured mouse limb bud cells.

The positional signal localized to the posterior (zone of polarizing activity or ZPA) region of the vertebrate limb is transiently expressed during development and a decline in ZPA signaling is accelerated when posterior cells are dissociated and cultured in vitro. The evidence that cultured posterior cells display a precocious decline in ZPA signaling when compared to in vivo studies suggests that a factor present in the limb bud maintains or stabilizes ZPA signaling during limb outgrowth and that this maintenance factor is lost and/or exhausted in in vitro studies. We have developed a new culture technique, 'microdissociation', which preserves extracellular components that we have found to be necessary for ZPA signal maintenance. Our data suggest that the limb bud ectoderm produces a maintenance activity that becomes stored in the extracellular matrix where it acts on limb bud cells to stabilize the activity of the ZPA signal. Using our initial characterization of this maintenance activity, we have identified a growth factor, FGF-2 (bFGF), that can replace all of the ZPA signaling maintenance activity observed in microdissociate cultures. The existence of various members of the FGF family in the developing limb strongly argues a role for FGF in stabilizing ZPA signaling in vivo.

Animals↗

Position specific growth regulation of 3T3 cells in vivo.

In this study we have investigated the mechanism by which spatial growth is regulated by monitoring 3T3 cells, introduced into the developing mouse limb using exo utero surgery. The 3T3 cells were labeled with a human cell surface glycoprotein, CD8, and injected into stage 7-9 mouse limbs. At 24 and 48 hr after injection embryos were labeled with [3H]thymidine and processed for immunohistochemistry and autoradiography. The labeling index of CD8 positive cells was compared to that of neighboring limb bud cells and also to the position of the injection site within the limb. We find that the labeling index of 3T3 cells is in accord with that of the limb cells that immediately surround them; 3T3 cells display a high labeling index in limb regions of high growth and a low labeling index in limb regions of low growth. In addition, we find that both limb bud cells and injected 3T3 cells display a general proximal (low) to distal (high) gradient of growth at the stages analyzed. We conclude from these results that position-specific regulation of growth occurs in a non-cell autonomous manner and is likely to be mediated by mitogenic signals that are localized within the limb environment. In addition, our results demonstrate the usefulness of utilizing established cell lines as in vivo probes to monitor developmental mechanisms.

3T3 Cells↗

Molecular aspects of regeneration in developing vertebrate limbs.

We review embryological as well as molecular evidence that emphasizes the idea that both the regenerate and the developing vertebrate limb bud utilize a similar set of signals that regulate pattern formation. Evidence is presented to implicate the Hox-7.1 gene in the developmental regulation of growth, differentiation, and positional assignment during limb outgrowth and the proposal is made that the expression of this gene governs the cellular activities within the progress zone during limb outgrowth. Finally, we review the limited information known about the regenerative capabilities of limb buds in organisms that cannot regenerate as adults. We content that a solution to the problem of regenerative failure among higher vertebrates will come progressively through a stepwise analysis of impaired regeneration associated with increasing developmental age.

Animals↗

Position-specific growth of mouse limb bud cells in vitro.

The relationship between cellular position and growth control has been studied in cultures of dissociated fragments of mouse limb bud cells. Using cells derived from various positions along the anterior-posterior axis of the limb bud we have developed culture conditions that optimize growth of positionally isolated cells. Under these conditions limb bud cells display an inherent, position-specific growth response; proliferation of cells derived from anterior and central regions of the limb is enhanced over that of posterior derived cells. Thus, within the total population of limb bud cells the in vitro growth of posterior cells is unique and correlates with the positional activity associated with the zone of polarizing activity. Anterior and posterior cells were cocultured to determine whether interactions between these two groups of positionally distinct cells lead to the stimulation of growth that has been observed in vivo. We observe a slight but consistent position-dependent stimulation of growth that is indicative of a mitogenic signal passing between these positionally disparate cells. Similarities between position-related growth dynamics in vivo and in vitro suggest that positional interactions that are important for limb formation can occur between dissociated cells cultured under standard conditions.

Animals↗

Conversion by retinoic acid of anterior cells into ZPA cells in the chick wing bud.

In recent years there has been considerable interest in the role of retinoic acid (RA) in vertebrate-limb pattern formation. When RA is applied to the anterior of the chick wing bud, a mirror-image duplication of the limb pattern develops that is identical to the pattern resulting from grafts of posterior tissue (zone of polarizing activity, or ZPA). It has been proposed that position along the anterior-posterior axis in the chick limb is specified by a gradient of a diffusible factor produced by the ZPA. The ZPA-mimicking action of RA has led to the hypothesis that exogenously applied RA acts by providing graded spatial information across the anterior-posterior limb axis. An alternative interpretation is that RA changes anterior cells into ZPA cells, which in turn provide the actual pattern-duplicating stimulus; there is already some preliminary evidence that this occurs. A hybrid interpretation has also been suggested whereby ZPA cells are formed in response to RA exposure and then begin to release retinoids that act as graded spatial cues. We have used a functional assay to test anterior chick wing-bud cells for ZPA activity after exposure to RA. The results of our studies indicate that the action of RA is to change anterior cells into ZPA cells. Further, our results indicate that it is unlikely that RA-treated anterior cells then begin producing RA in such a way as to provide a graded positional signal.

Animals↗

Mapping the early development of projections from the entorhinal cortex in the embryonic mouse using prenatal surgery techniques.

The purpose of this work was to study the development of specific projections from the postero-lateral cortex during the third trimester of gestation in the mouse. To do this, we labeled undifferentiated lateral cortex with the fluorescent carbocyanine dye, Dil, in the embryonic day (E) 16 mouse embryo using exo utero surgical techniques (Muneoka, Wanek, and Bryant, 1986). Embryos were allowed to develop to term (postnatal day 0, P0) at which time the fiber patterns emanating from the marked regions were studied. Dye placement in the undifferentiated postero-ventral cortex produced labeled fibers in the hippocampal formation. A robust projection of the angular bundle into the CA1 region of the hippocampus was heavily labeled. In addition, in some animals, cortical tracts, such as the anterior commissure, corpus callosum, and a corticotectal tract, were labeled. These tracts have been described previously as scaffolding pathways in the fetal cat (McConnell, Ghosh, and Shatz, 1989), and other vertebrates (Wilson, Ross, Parrett, and Easter, 1990). Dye placement in adjacent, more anterior or dorsal areas showed strong labeling in cortical structures but no labeling in the hippocampal formation. These data indicate that, by birth, the temporal cortex is subdivided along the rostro-caudal axis as entorhinal cortex and perirhinal cortex, and along the dorso-ventral axis, as entorhinal cortex and neocortex. Also, these earliest connections are similar to adult connections in their specificity of target area selection. Therefore, these early, yet specific, connections may play a role int he formation of future connections during postnatal development.

Animals↗

A staging system for mouse limb development.

A series of 15 stages of development for the mouse limb bud have been defined, spanning the time from the first appearance of the limb bud to the completion of limb outgrowth. The stages are based on changes in the morphology of the limb in living preparations. The development and regression of the apical ectodermal ridge (AER) as well as the development of the skeletal structures are also described. This staging system has been developed in response to the need to standardize in situ experimental analyses of the mouse limb bud. Comparable stages of the commonly used chick wing and mouse whole embryo systems are presented.

Animals↗

Mammalian limb bud development: in situ fate maps of early hindlimb buds.

Fate maps of the developing mouse hindlimb bud have been constructed for the first time using exo utero surgical techniques and carbon particle injections. Such fate maps demonstrate that the limb develops in a proximal to distal manner as a result of distal expansion. The anterior-posterior extent of the limb bud develops asymmetrically with the posterior half giving rise to slightly more of the digit pattern (digits 3-5) than the anterior half (digits 1 and 2). We found no evidence for the occurrence of extensive cellular rearrangements during limb development, and the free limb bud appears to give rise to only zeugo- and autopodial elements with the stylopod arising in the body wall proximal to the bud. These results are consistent with our current understanding of limb development in lower vertebrates and also provide detailed information that will be useful for future limb studies in mammals.

Animals↗

Evidence for regulation following amputation and tissue grafting in the developing mouse limb.

Procedures are now available to experimentally manipulate postimplantation mouse embryos in situ and allow development to continue into postnatal life (Muneoka, K., N. Wanek, and S.V. Bryant (1986) J. Exp. Zool., 239:289-293). We have investigated the ability of the well-formed hindlimb bud to regulate following two experimental operations: amputation and wedge grafts designed to confront anterior and posterior cells. After comparing the resultant limbs with the fate maps of the relevant stages, we conclude that the developing hindlimb bud at stage 7/8 (equivalent to stage 27/28 of the chick) is capable of partial regeneration of the peripheral digits following amputation and capable of supernumerary digit tip formation after grafting of a wedge of anterior tissue to a posterior position.

Animals↗