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Hepatic induction in the avian embryo: specificity of reactive endoderm and inductive mesoderm.

Mesoderm of precardiac and cardiac region ('cardiac' mesoderm) of chick, quail and mouse embryos could induce hepatic epithelium in the endoderm of the anterior half of young quail or chick embryos (anterior endoderm) in vitro as well as in vivo. No species specificity in the induction of hepatic epithelium by the 'cardiac' mesoderm could be observed. The hepatic induction, was controlled strictly by tissue specificity of both endoderm and mesoderm. Replacement of the 'cardiac' mesoderm or the anterior endoderm by non-cardiac mesoderms or endoderms other than the anterior endoderm resulted in failure of hepatic induction. Only the anterior endoderm was found to have competence for hepatic induction, indicating that it was committed, in unknown ways, to react with 'cardiac' mesoderm, and can properly be called pre-hepatic endoderm. Comparison between the development of hepatic endoderm and the hepatic induction potency of 'cardiac' mesoderm, which was most intense during 1- to 1.5- incubation days and decreased gradually with the increase of the stage, suggests that in normal development the 'cardiac' mesoderm actually induces hepatic epithelium in the competent endoderm. Hepatic-induction potency remained up to 6 days, and was found in truncus arteriosus, ventricle and auricle areas and in endocardial and myocardial layers of the heart.

Animals↗

Morphological boundary forms by a novel inductive event mediated by Lunatic fringe and Notch during somitic segmentation.

Boundary formation plays a central role in differentiating the flanking regions that give rise to discrete tissues and organs during early development. We have studied mechanisms by which a morphological boundary and tissue separation are regulated by examining chicken somite segmentation as a model system. By transplanting a small group of cells taken from a presumptive border into a non-segmentation site, we have found a novel inductive event where posteriorly juxtaposed cells to the next-forming border instruct the anterior cells to become separated and epithelialized. We have further studied the molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions by focusing on Lunatic fringe, a modulator of Notch signaling, which is expressed in the region of the presumptive boundary. By combining DNA in ovo electroporation and embryonic transplantation techniques we have ectopically made a sharp boundary of Lunatic fringe activity in the unsegmented paraxial mesoderm and observed a fissure formed at the interface. In addition, a constitutive active form of Notch mimics this instructive phenomenon. These suggest that the boundary-forming signals emanating from the posterior border cells are mediated by Notch, the action of which is confined to the border region by Lunatic fringe within the area where mRNAs of Notch and its ligand are broadly expressed in the presomitic mesoderm.

Animals↗

Induction of blood cells in Xenopus embryo explants.

A Xenopus-specific anti-leukocyte monoclonal antibody designated XL-2 was isolated and used to identify leukocytes in tailbud embryos and activin A-treated explants of blastula animal cap. XL-2 bound to a 135-kDa polypeptide in western blots of protein extracts from adult thymocytes, tailbud embryos, tadpoles, and explants. In cell suspensions, it immunostained the cell surface of all types of adult leukocytes including lymphocytes, monocyte/macrophages, thrombocytes, and granulocytes. At embryonic stage 24, immunocytochemistry revealed XL-2-positive leukocytes, the earliest time at which such cells have been recognized. Whole-mount staining of tailbud embryos and tadpoles showed a widely dispersed population of XL-2-reactive leukocytes, many of which had elongated shapes and ameboid pseudopodia. In activin A-treated animal caps, XL-2 recognized a subpopulation of cells within the lumen of the central fluid-filled cavity as well as cells in the interstitium of mesenchymal and mesothelial components of the explant. Together, activin A and human interleukin-11 induced 100% of explants to form lumenal blood cells. Compared to activin A alone, murine stem cell factor plus activin A significantly increased the numbers of XL-2-reactive leukocytes and erythrocytes. These results support the view that activin A induces leukocyte and erythrocyte progenitors during Xenopus embryogenesis.

Activins↗

Brain induction in ascidian embryos is dependent on juxtaposition of FGF9/16/20-producing and -receiving cells.

Coordinated regulation of inductive events, both spatially and temporally, during animal development ensures that tissues are induced at their specific positions within the embryo. The ascidian brain is induced in cells at the anterior edge of the animal hemisphere by fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signals secreted from vegetal cells. To clarify how this process is spatially regulated, we first identified the sources of the FGF signal by examining the expression of brain markers Hr-Otx and Hr-ETR-1 in embryos in which FGF signaling is locally inhibited by injecting individual blastomeres with morpholino oligonucleotide against Hr-FGF9/16/20, which encodes an endogenous brain inducer. The blastomeres identified as the inducing sources are A5.1 and A5.2 at the 16-cell stage and A6.2 and A6.4 at the 24-cell stage, which are juxtaposed with brain precursors at the anterior periphery of the embryo at the respective stages. We also showed that all the cells of the animal hemisphere are capable of expressing Hr-Otx in response to the FGF signal. These results suggest that the position of inducers, rather than competence, plays an important role in determining which animal cells are induced to become brain tissues during ascidian embryogenesis. This situation in brain induction contrasts with that in mesoderm induction, where the positions at which the notochord and mesenchyme are induced are determined mainly by intrinsic competence factors that are inherited by signal-receiving cells.

Animals↗

Tracheal branch repopulation precedes induction of the Drosophila dorsal air sac primordium.

The dorsal air sacs supply oxygen to the flight muscles of the Drosophila adult. This tracheal organ grows from an epithelial tube (the air sac primordium (ASP)) that arises during the third larval instar (L3) from a wing-disc-associated tracheal branch. Since the ASP is generated by a program of both morphogenesis and cell proliferation and since the larval tracheal branches are populated by cells that are terminally differentiated, the provenance of its progenitors has been uncertain. Here, we show that, although other larval tracheae are remodeled after L3, most tracheal branches in the tracheal metamere associated with the wing disc (Tr2) are precociously repopulated with imaginal tracheoblasts during L3. Concurrently, the larval cells in Tr2 undergo head involution defective (hid)-dependent programmed cell death. In BX-C mutant larvae, the tracheal branches of the Tr3 metamere are also repopulated during L3. Our results show that repopulation of the larval trachea is a prerequisite for FGF-dependent induction of cell proliferation and tubulogenesis in the ASP and that homeotic selector gene function is necessary for the temporal and spatial control of tracheal repopulation.

Animals↗

Ras is an essential component for notochord formation during ascidian embryogenesis.

In ascidian embryos, inductive interactions are necessary for the fate specification of notochord cells. Previous studies have shown that notochord induction occurs at the 32-cell stage and that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has notochord-inducing activity in ascidian embryos. In vertebrate, it is known that bFGF receptors have tyrosine kinase domain and the signaling pathway is mediated by the small-GTP binding protein, Ras. To study the role of Ras in ascidian embryos, we injected dominant negative Ras (RasN17) into fertilized eggs. RasN17 inhibited the formation of notochord, suggesting that the Ras signaling pathway is involved in signal transduction in the induction of notochord cells. When the presumptive-notochord (A6.2) blastomere was co-isolated with the inducer (A6.1) blastomere and then RasN17 was injected into the A6.2 blastomere, notochord differentiation was suppressed. The presumptive-notochord blastomeres injected with RasN17 were treated with bFGF. Many of them failed to develop notochord-specific features. Next, we examined the effect of injecting constitutively active Ras (RasV12) into the A6.2 blastomeres. However, microinjection of RasV12 into these cells did not bypass notochord induction. These results suggest that the Ras signaling pathway is essential for the formation of notochord and that another signaling pathway also must be activated simultaneously in notochord formation during ascidian embryogenesis.

Animals↗

Induction of germ cell formation by oskar.

The oskar gene directs germ plasm assembly and controls the number of germ cell precursors formed at the posterior pole of the Drosophila embryo. Mislocalization of oskar RNA to the anterior pole leads to induction of germ cells at the anterior. Of the eight genes necessary for germ cell formation at the posterior, only three, oskar, vasa and tudor, are essential at an ectopic site.

Abdomen↗

Identification of a retinoic acid-sensitive period during primary axis formation in Xenopus laevis.

Retinoic acid (RA) is able to profoundly alter patterning of the primary body axis in embryos of the frog Xenopus laevis. The response to RA is dose-dependent, and leads to progressive truncation of the anteroposterior axis, with anterior structures most sensitive. Both mesodermal and ectodermal tissues are affected, and in vitro assays demonstrate that induced dorsal ectoderm is one direct target of RA. RA represses expression of anterior-specific genes and concomitantly induces expression of at least one posterior-specific gene. Resistance to RA is acquired gradually, during gastrula and early neurula stages, with posterior structures becoming resistant before anterior structures. These data demarcate in the embryo an anterior "domain," which may define the head rudiment and which transcends germ layers. RA can alter the axial pattern after its initial induction; thus, RA sensitivity defines a labile intermediate that occurs during axial patterning. These data suggest a possible role for RA in normal axis formation.

Animals↗

Reiterated Wnt signaling during zebrafish neural crest development.

While Wnt/beta-catenin signaling is known to be involved in the development of neural crest cells in zebrafish, it is unclear which Wnts are involved, and when they are required. To address these issues we employed a zebrafish line that was transgenic for an inducible inhibitor of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling, and inhibited endogenous Wnt/beta-catenin signaling at discrete times in development. Using this approach, we defined a critical period for Wnt signaling in the initial induction of neural crest, which is distinct from the later period of development when pigment cells are specified from neural crest. Blocking Wnt signaling during this early period interfered with neural crest formation without blocking development of dorsal spinal neurons. Transplantation experiments suggest that neural crest precursors must directly transduce a Wnt signal. With regard to identifying which endogenous Wnt is responsible for this initial critical period, we established that wnt8 is expressed in the appropriate time and place to participate in this process. Supporting a role for Wnt8, blocking its function with antisense morpholino oligonucleotides eliminates initial expression of neural crest markers. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Wnt signals are critical for the initial induction of zebrafish neural crest and suggest that this signaling pathway plays reiterated roles in its development.

Animals↗

Chordin is required for the Spemann organizer transplantation phenomenon in Xenopus embryos.

We analyzed the Chordin requirement in Xenopus development. Targeting of both chordin Xenopus laevis pseudoalleles with morpholino antisense oligomers (Chd-MO) markedly decreased Chordin production. Embryos developed with moderately reduced dorsoanterior structures and expanded ventroposterior tissues, phenocopying the zebrafish chordino mutant. A strong requirement for Chordin in dorsal development was revealed by experimental manipulations. First, dorsalization by lithium chloride treatment was completely blocked by Chd-MO. Second, Chd-MO inhibited elongation and muscle differentiation in Activin-treated animal caps. Third, Chd-MO completely blocked the induction of the central nervous system (CNS), somites, and notochord by organizer tissue transplanted to the ventral side of host embryos. Unexpectedly, transplantations into the dorsal side revealed a cell-autonomous requirement of Chordin for neural plate differentiation.

Activins↗

Inductive processes leading to inner ear formation during Xenopus development.

This study examines the spatial and temporal attributes of inner ear induction in Xenopus embryos. These results are compared to recent experiments concerning lens induction to assess whether head sensory structures share common ontogenetic features. Ectoderm from different regions and stages was transplanted to the presumptive ear region of hosts of either early (neural plate) or late (neural tube) stages. Explants of the presumptive ear ectoderm were also taken from embryos at these stages to establish the time of otic ectoderm specification. We find that ectodermal competence for otic vesicle formation extends through neural plate stages, far longer than for lens formation. Otic vesicle specification occurs substantially earlier, at neural plate stages, than lens specification. Competent ectoderm forms otic vesicles in a high fraction of cases when exposed to the ear-inducing environment of either neural plate stages or neural tube stages, a result which contrasts with lens induction where the neural tube stage embryo provides a much weaker inducing environment than earlier stages. Otic vesicles induced in neural tube stage hosts are primarily in contact with presumptive hindbrain, suggesting that this neural tissue may be sufficient for otic vesicle induction. These studies reveal overall similarities between lens and inner ear induction, but sufficient differences to propose that some facets of determination of these sensory tissues may occur by independent mechanisms and not via a common developmental state.

Animals↗

The presumptive floor plate (notoplate) induces behaviors associated with convergent extension in medial but not lateral neural plate cells of Xenopus.

In previous work (Elul, T., Keller, R., 2000. Monopolar protrusive activity: a new morphogenic cell behavior in the neural plate dependent on vertical interactions with the mesoderm in Xenopus. Dev. Biol. 224, 3-19; Ezin, A.M., Skoglund, P. Keller, R. 2003. The midline (notochord and notoplate) patterns the cell motility underlying convergence and extension of the Xenopus neural plate. Dev. Biol. 256, 100-114), the midline tissues of notochord and overlying notoplate were found to induce the monopolar, medially directed protrusive activity of deep neural cells. This behavior is thought to drive the mediolateral intercalation and convergent extension of the neural plate in Xenopus. Here we address the issue of whether the notochord, the notoplate, or both is essential for this induction. Our strategy was to remove the notochord, leaving the overlying notoplate intact, and determine whether it alone can induce the monopolar, medially directed cell behavior. We first establish that the notoplate (presumptive floor plate), when separated from the underlying notochord in the early neurula (stages 13-14), will independently mature into a floor plate as assayed three criteria: (1) continued expression of an early marker, sonic hedgehog, and a later, marker, F-spondin; (2) the display of the notoplate/floor plate-specific randomly oriented protrusive activity; (3) the characteristic lack of mixing of cells between the notoplate and lateral neural plate. Under these conditions, in the presence of a mature notoplate/floor plate and in the absence of the notochord, the characteristic monopolar, medially directed behavior occurred, but only locally near the midline. These results show that the notoplate/floor plate capacity to induce the medially directed motility is limited in range, and they suggest that the notochord is necessary for the normally observed longer range induction in lateral neural plate cells. This work helps to further the understanding of molecular and tissue interactions required for convergent extension.

Animals↗

Midline signals regulate retinal neurogenesis in zebrafish.

In zebrafish, neuronal differentiation progresses across the retina in a pattern that is reminiscent of the neurogenic wave that sweeps across the developing eye in Drosophila. We show that expression of a zebrafish homolog of Drosophila atonal, ath5, sweeps across the eye predicting the wave of neuronal differentiation. By analyzing the regulation of ath5 expression, we have elucidated the mechanisms that regulate initiation and spread of neurogenesis in the retina. ath5 expression is lost in Nodal pathway mutant embryos lacking axial tissues that include the prechordal plate. A likely role for axial tissue is to induce optic stalk cells that subsequently regulate ath5 expression. Our results suggest that a series of inductive events, initiated from the prechordal plate and progressing from the optic stalks, regulates the spread of neuronal differentiation across the zebrafish retina.

Animals↗

Transfilter lens induction in avian embryo.

The directive influence of the optic vesicle during lens induction of 2-day chick embryos was studied in vitro. Trunk ectoderm was chosen for the responding tissue. This uncommitted ectoderm formed distinct lentoid bodies when grown together with the optic vesicle. Crystallin synthesis was demonstrated in the lentoids with fluorescein labelled antiserum. By interposing filters of different thicknesses and pore sizes between the interacting tissues, three questions were put forward: (1) Whether the intimate contact between the interactants was essential for induction, (2) how far the inductive influence of the optic vesicle extended, and (3) what was the smallest pore through which the inductive influence could penetrate. The inductive influence reached across a Millipore filter with a thickness of 100 micrometer. It also penetrated a dialyzer membrane, allowing passage of molecules with molecular weights (MW) of less than 12,000 daltons. It was concluded that the directive, inductive signal(s) passing from the optic vesicle, diffused in the extracellular space as far as 100 micrometer and had a molecular weight of less than 12,000 daltons.

Animals↗

Integrin-dependent adhesive activity is spatially controlled by inductive signals at gastrulation.

Integrins mediate cell-ECM interactions essential for morphogenesis, however, the extent to which integrin adhesive activities are regulated in the embryo has not been addressed. We report that integrin-dependent cell adhesion to the Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) containing central cell-binding domain of fibronectin is required for gastrulation in Xenopus. Although all cells of the early embryo retain the ability to attach to this region, only involuting cells arising from the dorsal and ventral lips of the blastopore are able to spread and migrate on fibronectin in vitro. This change in adhesive behavior is mimicked by treating animal cap cells with activin-A. Activin-induced changes in adhesion are independent of new transcription, translation, or changes in receptor expression at the cell surface. We demonstrate that ectopic expression of integrin alpha4beta1 in animal cap cells results in attachment to the non RGD-containing V-region of fibronectin. Further, these cells acquire the ability to spread on the V-region following activin induction. Thus, alpha4beta1 adhesion to the V-region, like endogenous integrin binding to the central cell-binding domain, is responsive to activin signalling. These data indicate that cell adhesion to the central cell-binding domain is regulated in both space and time, and is under the control of inductive signals that initiate gastrulation movements. We suggest that position-specific inductive interactions are likely to represent a novel and general mechanism by which integrin adhesion is modulated throughout development.

Activins↗

[Neurosurgical embryology. Part 1: Cell differentiation].

In pluricellular organisms, cell differentiation helps to decrease the total amount of energy needed for life. These differentiations can be evidenced at the tissular, the cellular or the molecular levels. Cell differentiation is a progressive process achieved during embryogenesis; different steps in the program can be described. One of the explanations to account for cell differentiation is the specific expression of proteins, called transcription factors, that can control the expression of selected genes. These factors are classified according to their biochemical pattern allowing description of several families of transcription factors. One of the salient questions during embryogenesis is to understand the mechanisms involved in cell differentiation. The first event is due to asymmetry of mitosis leading to the generation of two cell lineages. This is favored by the initial ovocyte polarization. The second event is due to cell interactions (namely inductions). These inductions may be explained either by cell-cell contact (favored by cell adhesion molecules) or by secreting factors that can be either hydrophilic or lipophilic.

Animals↗

Ligand-dependent tumor induction in medakafish embryos by a Xmrk receptor tyrosine kinase transgene.

Xmrk encodes a subclass I receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) which has been cloned from the melanoma-inducing locus Tu of the poeciliid fish Xiphophorus. To demonstrate a high oncogenic potential in vivo we transferred the gene into early embryos of the closely related medakafish. Ectopic expression of the Xmrk oncogene under the control of a strong, constitutive promoter (CMVTk) led to the induction of embryonic tumors with high incidence, after short latency periods, and with a specific pattern of affected tissues. We demonstrate ligand-dependent transformation in vivo using a chimeric receptor consisting of the extracellular and transmembrane domains of the human EGF receptor (HER) and the cytoplasmatic domain of Xmrk. Expression of the chimeric receptor alone does not lead to kinase activation or induction of tumors. Coexpression of the chimera with its corresponding ligand, human transforming growth factor alpha (hTGF alpha), however, results in the activation of the chimeric RTK. In injected fish embryos the induction of the neoplastic growth is observed with similar incidence and tissue distribution as in embryos carrying the native Xmrk oncogene suggesting that the ligand as well as factors downstream of the RTK are required for tumor formation. In this study we show single-step induction of tumors by ectopic expression of RTKs in vivo substantiating the significance of autocrine stimulation in RTK induced tumors in vertebrates.

Animals↗