Ryan Lecture 4 Flashcards
What is important in forming a-p axis in chick embryos
Gravity is important
Egg spins in hen ~10-15 times/hr for 20 hrs
What does egg spinning do - a-p chick embryos
Organizes heavier to lighter particles within developing embryo
Lighter yolk components lie on one side of blastoderm = become POSTerior
Primitive streak begins at posterior and extends anteriorly
How many eggs do chicks lay
One egg per day
Only one oviduct develops, not bilateral
What happens during chick gastrulation
Primitive streak regresses
Ant side= hensens node
Describe primitive streak in chick embryos
Extends from post towards ant
Hensens node = organizer region at ant end
What happens when cut chick embryo like a pie
Each wedge will form primitive streak
Has dorsal ventral axis
Early chick embryo is radially symmetrical
Tissues around = competent to respond to signals coming from primitive streak
Describe the new ectopic streak - chick embryos
Forms in ant half, expresses similar molecular markers as endogenous primitive streak (brachyury)
If split into ant and post half =
Ant has new ectopic primitive streak, functions as normal, same gene expression
Post= endogenous primitive streak
What is important for primitive streak - a-p axis formation - exp gen
Vg1
Do exp = vg1 expressing cells placed in ant region, 180 to koller’s sickle (endogenous primitive streak)
Can use cell pellet= groups of cells
Could also use beads soaked in protein vg1
What is important for primitive streak - a-p axis formation - formally set up
Experiment:
1. Transplant cells expressing signalling molecule at the opposite side of the embryo from
Koller’s sickle.
2. Allow embryos to develop until primitive streak is formed.
3. Perform whole mount in situ hybridization experiment to monitor expression of cNodal that is
normally expressed in the primitive streak
What is important for primitive streak - a-p axis formation - results
Monitor nodal expression in primitive streak
If do vg1 + wnt = nodal expression induced by vg1
Multiple genes looked at - many diff results
What happens if place vg1 pellet 90 degrees to koller’s sickle
Can also induce primitive streak BUT no expression endogenous streak
Position important
Summarize effects of pellet vg1 for experiments
Vg1 important for primitive streak formation
Position of pellet matters
If placed at ant end = both ectopic and endogenous primitive streaks form
If placed on lateral margin = only ectopic primitive streak forms, formation of endogenous streak inhibited (by cells, bc only want one streak, if too close=would have to share tissues, think Siamese twins)
What happens if 2 vg1 pellets implanted - results
Implant one then wait and implant second 180 degrees from first
Implanted before endogenous streak formed
If both bead added at t=0 = 2 streaks
If 2nd bead added at t=4hr =1st streak more developed than second
If 2nd bead added at t=6h = only get one streak, no induction of other
What happens if 2 vg1 pellets implanted - conclusions
Depends on timing of second 2nd implant
Suggests that vg1 induces both primitive streak and expression of a molecule that inhibits induction other primitive streak
Describe a-p axis in mouse
1st definitive axis in mouse embryo
Primitive streak and node form on opposite side of embryo from AVE
What does a-p axis in mouse depend on
2 signaling centres are required to pattern anterior end of embryo =
Node (organizer region located at ant end primitive streak)
Anterior visceral endoderm = AVE
Describe AVE - mouse a-p
Derived by distal visceral endoderm (DVE)
Position of AVE determined in part by physical constraints of uterus - if remove physical constraints… embryos develop without a-p axis
Describe expression patterns in a-p polarity of mouse
Dve = shifts to become. AVE
High nodal expression in proximal epiblast
Future post side forms primitive streak
DVE expresses Cerberus and lefty, low nodal in distal epiblast
What does Cerberus do
Inhibits wnt
What does lefty do
Inhibits nodal
What exactly happens - a-p in mouse
DVE tilts and migrates over epiblast in one direction
Which determines future anterior end of the embryo = AVE
WHAT IS AVE NEEDED FOR IN MOUSE
PATTERNINg the anterior end of embryo
Inhibits primitive streak formation (via inhibition of nodal, expression in primitive streak)
At E6.5 = plays a role in patterning anterior primitive streak
Describe mouse gastrulation - a-p
Starts to form at future post end = primitive streak
Endoderm leaves epiblast layer
Then next = mesoderm
On inside = ectoderm
Definitive endoderm on outside
Describe role of node - a-p mouse
Node = responsible for creation of body plan - patterning
Will form at most distal end embryo
Both express many genes also found in chick and frog organizer tissues = Hesens node and spemann mangold organizer
What is patterning along a-p axis dependent on in mouse
hox genes
Describe rna expression patterns in mice of certain proteins
Cdx2
Ant vs post = diff expressions
Mix 1 = long axis
Foxa2 = long axis
Mesp1 = wing like, mesodermal derived, will form underlying layer mesoderm
Describe hox gene clusters - a-p
3’—>5’
3’ genes = expressed more ant and early
5’ genes expressed more post and later
Order evolutionary conserved
How many hox genes clusters do species have
Flies = 1 cluster
Humans = 4 clusters
What do mutations in hox genes do
Cause homeotic transformations = transform one region to another
Describe the types of homeotic transformations possible
Loss of function = cause post —> anterior transformations, to make more ant phenotype
Gain of function mutations = cause anterior to posterior transformations, bring more posterior gene forward
Describe antennapedia mutation in drosophila
Gain of function = express antennapedia in more anterior segment
Bring segment forwards = expression in ant end
Describe ultrabithorax mutation drosophila
Lose of function = lose ultrabithorax expression in T3 segment
Hox gene expression pattern in T3 looks like the segment that is anterior to it
Post transformed to ant
So get 2 pairs of wings=extra segment with wings