Building embryos Flashcards
What is morphogenesis?
Formation of a 3D embryo
What is the abembryonic/ embyonic spatial axes?
In a post-implantation epiblast
- Embryonic is where the inner cell mass is
- Abembryonic is oposite the inner cell mass
What is the epiblast?
- Derives from the inner cell mass and gives rise to the 3 germ layers
- Outer germinal layer of a blastula stage embryo
- In a mammalian embryo or chicken
What is the primitive streak?
- Where the epiblast cells migrate through
- In a mammalian embryo or chicken
What is the hypoblast?
- Part of the inner cell mass which gives rise to the extra embryonic tissue, including the yolk
- Inner layer in the blastula stage embyro
What are the 4 main signalling centres?
1) Post epiblast
2) Anterior visceral endoderm (AVE)
3) Extra-embryonic endoderm
4) The node
Where is BMP4 concentration the highest?
Ventral side of the embryo
What does the concentraion on BMP4 cause?
1) BMP4 in the extraembryonic ectoderm induces NODAL in the epiblast
2) NODAL induces Lefty1 in DVE
3) Lefty1 gradient inhibits nodal, preventing it from spreading too far dorsally
5) BMP4 also induces WNT3, which activates Nodal
What does BMP4 inhibit?
Lefty1 in the visceral endoderm
What happens to DVE as the embryo grows?
- Pushed more anterior (becomes AVE)
- As DVE expresses Lefty1 (which inhibits NODAL)
- NODAL expression pushed more posteriorly
What gradient is from the AVE and what does this cause?
1) DKK1
- Inhibits WNT and NODAL
2) Lefty1 (also from AVE)
- Inhibits NODAL
3) Net effect:
- WNT and TGFb signals are restricted to posterior epiblast
Which signals set up the primitive streak?
Wnt and TGFb (activated by NODAL)
Where is the highest nodal expression and what does this cause?
Node (Dorsal)
- Where the notochord will start to form
What do somites give rise to?
- Dermatomes
- Vertebrae
- Rib cage
- Skeletal muscle
- Catilage
- Tendons
- Skin
What do rhombomeres give rise to?
The brain