Models and methods in development Flashcards
How can we study development?
- Anatomically (descriptive embryology, normal morphology and histology, fate mapping)
- Experimentally (commitment and induction- e.g. needle experiment/chopping stuff up)
- Genetic (more commong now- identification of genes controlling development and gene interactions by the manipulation of genes)
Name desirable characteristics for studying development?
- Relevance/representative
- Accessibiltiy/availabiltiy
- Experimental manipulation
- Genetics
- Cost/space
Descrive how descriptive anatomy can be studied
- light/electron microscopy
- histological sections
- morphological and anatomical description of how embryos change over time
- basis for understanding, but does not usually follow cell movement/origins
- no mechanistic information
Describe what fate mapping and lineage analysis is
- Following cells to see where they end up (fate)
- Defines patterns of cell migration
- Defines origins of cells in formed structures
e.g. label a cell population–> graft into animal–> see genotype expressed as a phenotype from A to B and the pathway inbetween
Explain in-situ hybridisation
- Look at mRNA expression
- Make a probe in the lab complementary to mRNA you wish to identify
- Add this to the embryo
- Wash the probe off
- Incubate embryo and recognise DIG (DIG= modifed epitope with tag)
- e.g. DIG binds to AP-conjugated anti-DIG- binding causes substrate to release coloured ppt
Describe immunostaining
Detect protein expression- amplify signal and include tissue in
- add primary Ab
- add secondary Ab (diff species to primary)
e. g. Brachyury (mesoderm marker in mouse gastrulation)
Describe subtractive hybridisation
- Not so common any more though lol
- identifies differences in gene expression between regions of the embryo OR identify differences in gene expression between normal and mutant embryos
- isolate the mRNA from the two samples make cDNA and modify one sample e.g. biotin
- hybridise two samples
- remove the genes common to both samples (e.g. using streptavidin)
- isolate remaining genes
Desrive microarray experiment
- RNA isolation of sample A and B
- cDNA generation
- Label probe- reverse transcription with fluoroescent tags (both samples with 2 different colours)
- Hybridise to array (glass chips with sports of short DNA)
- image to see if Sample A > B, B >A, A=B
Advantages/disadvantages of studying mice:
- develops in utero
- genetics- has lots of background info
- can be manipulated (transgenics)
- mammal therefore closely related
- 21 day gestation is short = good
- expensive to breed/store
- ethical/legal concerns with testing on vertebrates
Ad/Disad of frog (xenopus laevis)
- large embryos= easier to manipulate
- develops in simple salt solution/explants
- rapid development (~30 hrs to hatch)
- poor genetics (X. tropicalis better than X. laevis)
- readily injected with RNA, labels etc.
Ad/Dis of drosophilia
- not transparent therfore difficult to see inside
- short embryogenesis (~24 hours)
- Easily bred and maintained (14 day generation time)
- Genetics- well understood; easy to manipulate
- Easy to form mutants
Describe the drosophila cuticle patterns
- Drosophila larva has 14 unique segments
- each segment has a specific pattern of denticles
- each segment has polarity
How is the drosophila body plan established?
- maternal genes are expressed in gradients at the anterior and posterior poles
- gap genes are activated and in turn, established pair-trule gene (eve, ftz) pattern
- Pair-rule genes establisg polarity genes (engrailed, wingless)
- Segment identity is establisged at cellularisation by competing Tfs
- maternal biocoid activates hunchback
- gap genes inhibit eachother and establisg the position of pair-rule gene expression
Ad/disad of studying C. elegans
- transparent
- short embryogenesis (~15 hrs)
- invariant lineage
- Genetics. manipulation
- 558 cells at hatching- origin of cell is known
Ad/disad of studying zebrafish (danio rerio)
- rapid development (<24 hr)
- genetics- well known
- mutants- easy to make
- transparent embryo
- short generation time (3 months)