In order to determine whether distinct lineages are specified at

In order to determine whether distinct lineages are specified at different times, we performed a series of microdissection experiments isolating ventral explants and removing the ventral cardiac/lateral plate mesoderm from the endoderm at different times selleck chemicals in development. Explants were cultured until stage NF37 and analyzed by in situ hybridization for expres sion of early lineage markers of the pancreas, liver and lung/thyroid. As controls to verify effect ive separation of the endoderm from mesoderm tissue, we examined the expression of the pan endodermal marker gjb1, the lateral plate mesoderm marker foxf1, and the cardiac mesoderm marker tnni3. These controls demonstrated that our method of removing the mesoderm by dispase treatment and manual pealing off the tissue with hairloops effect ively produced endoderm explants without foxf1 and tnni3 Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries mesoderm.

These experiments showed that the expression of early pancreas, liver, or lung markers in the endoderm required mesoderm contact for Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries different periods of time. Interestingly, we observed the Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries pancreas duodenum mar ker pdx1 was expressed in explants 75% of the time re gardless of when the mesoderm was removed between stages NF16 35. We obtained similar results with another pancreas marker ptf1a, suggesting that as early as stage NF16 the endoderm has received sufficient signals to activate expression of pancreatic progenitor markers by stage NF35. In contrast, expres sion of the lung and liver markers required longer dura tions of mesodermal contact.

Expression of the liver marker nr1h5 required mesoderm contact until Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries stages NF25 28, after which point the mesoderm was no longer required. In contrast, nkx2. 1 expression was not induced in endoderm explants unless mesoderm was kept in contact throughout stage Inhibitors,Modulators,Libraries NF35. In explants cultured with mesoderm through stage NF35, the nkx2. 1 tissue was observed in two discreet domains immediately dorsal posterior to the heart, indicative of lung tissue. We conclude that the pancreas, liver, and lungs are specified at progressively later times in development in a caudal to rostral pro gression along the A P axis. The most caudal tissue the pancreas is specified first, followed by liver, which requires mesoderm contact until NF31 and then the most rostral organ the lung is specified last requiring mesoderm contact up to NF35.

FGF signaling is active in the Xenopus foregut endoderm during organ induction selleck chem inhibitor Our tissue separation experiments show that complete organ induction requires mesodermal contact between stages NF16 35. A survey of the literature indicates that many FGF ligands and recep tors are expressed in the Xenopus foregut region during this time in development. To investigate if and when the Xenopus ventral foregut endoderm is respond ing to FGF signaling we examined di phosphorylated Erk1/2 immunostaining as a read out of active FGF/MEK signaling.

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