Xenbase Image ID: 135671

Altered activity of ESR-5 produces somite defects in Xenopus embryos. Embryos were injected withlacZ RNA alone (A,B) or along with RNAs encoding ESR-5 (C,D), ESR-5ΔBD (E,F), Gal-4 (G,H), or ESR-5–Gal4 (I,J). Embryos were processed at tadpoles stages by fixation, then staining with X-gal and 12/101. Shown are longitudinal sections of the processed embryos, in which the right panels are taken from the region of the paraxial mesoderm where somites are just forming, whereas theleft panels are taken from a region more anterior. Note that in embryos injected with lacZ alone (A,B) or with Gal4 as a control (G,H), expression of 12/101 is initiated prior to somite formation and, after somites form, the myotomal cells line up along the AP axis with their nuclei aligned along the middle of each somitic unit. In contrast, embryos injected with ESR-5 (C,D), ESR-5ΔBD(E,F), or ESR-5–Gal4 RNA (I,J), 12/101 expression is initiated on schedule, but the myotomal cells fail to organize into a segmental pattern. In the more extreme cases, such as ESR-5–Gal4, the myotomal cells do not show signs of initiating somite formation (J). Image published in: Jen WC et al. (1999) Copyright © 1999. Image reproduced on with permission of the Publisher, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. This is an Open Access article. Larger Image Printer Friendly View

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