Xenbase Image ID: 80697

Figure 6 Zic3 induced neural and neural crest marker genes without mesoderm induction in animal cap explant. Embryos were injected with 100 pg of Zic3 or control LacZ mRNA at the two-cell stage. Animal caps were explanted at stage 9 and cultured. (A) Zic3 induced all the neural and neural crest marker genes tested. When the sibling embryos reached stage 20, the expression of neural marker (NCAM, Neurogenin, NeuroD, XASH-3, XATH-3, XlPOU 2) and neural crest marker (Xtwi, Xslu) were examined by RT-PCR. Although uninjected (Uninj.) or LacZ injected (LacZ) caps do not express any of these markers, animal caps injected with Zic3 mRNA (Zic3) express all of the neural markers and neural crest markers we tested. (B) Zic3 did not induce mesodermal marker. An early mesodermal marker, Xbra, and a dorsal mesodermal marker, M.actin, expression were examined by RT-PCR when the sibling embryos became stage 10.5 and stage 20, respectively. (C) Zic3 induced anterior neural character. Expression of the neural markers, which is expressed differentially along the anteroposterior axis, was examined by RT-PCR when the sibling embryos became stage 27. Anterior neural marker, En-2, but not the posterior neural marker, XlHbox6, was expressed in the Zic3 overexpressed animal cap. In each experiment, sibling control embryos served as a positive control (Embryo) and PCR on the same RNA without reverse transcription was done to check the absence of genomic DNA (RT−). Image published in: Nakata K et al. (1997) Copyright © 1997. Image reproduced with permission of the publisher and the copyright holder. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. Larger Image Printer Friendly View

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