Shuanqing Li , Yunxiao Li , Han Li , Ciqing Yang , Juntang Lin
{"title":"Use of in vitro electroporation and slice culture for gene function analysis in the mouse embryonic spinal cord","authors":"Shuanqing Li , Yunxiao Li , Han Li , Ciqing Yang , Juntang Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The spinal cord is an important part of the central nervous system (CNS). At present, the expression of the exogenous gene in the spinal cord of the embryonic mouse needs <em>in utero</em> spinal cord electroporation, but the success rate of this technique is very low. In this study, we have demonstrated the expression of an exogenous gene on one side of the spinal cord by combining two methods—<em>in vitro</em> electroporation of embryonic mouse spinal cord and organ spinal cord slices culture. We took 12-day embryonic mice, injected the green fluorescent protein (pCAGGS-GFP) plasmid into the spinal cord cavity <em>in vitro</em>, and then electroporated. The spinal cord was cut into 300-μm slices using a vibratory microtome. After cultured for 48 h, GFP-positive neurons were clearly observed on one side of the spinal cord, indicating that the exogenous gene was successfully transferred. The axon projection direction is basically unanimous from the inside to the lateral edge of the spinal cord. Compared to neurons <em>in vivo</em>, a single neuron in the culturing section has more complete neurites and is conducive to studying changes in the structure and behavior of individual neurons. Based on the above results, we have successfully established a convenient and efficient method for expressing the exogenous gene in the spinal cord of the mouse.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"158 ","pages":"Article 103558"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.103558","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37345976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Carolina J. Simoes da Silva , Ismael Sospedra , Ricardo Aparicio , Ana Busturia
{"title":"The microRNA-306/abrupt regulatory axis controls wing and haltere growth in Drosophila","authors":"Carolina J. Simoes da Silva , Ismael Sospedra , Ricardo Aparicio , Ana Busturia","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103555","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103555","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Growth control relies on extrinsic and intrinsic mechanisms that regulate and coordinate the size and pattern of organisms. This control is crucial for a homeostatic development and healthy physiology. The gene networks acting in this process are large and complex: factors involved in growth control are also important in diverse biological processes and these networks include multiple regulators that interact and respond to intra- and extra-cellular inputs that may ultimately converge in the control of the cell cycle. In this work we have studied the function of the <em>Drosophila abrupt</em> gene, coding for a BTB-ZF protein and previously reported to be required for wing vein pattern, in the control of haltere and wing growth. We have found that inactivation of <em>abrupt</em> reduces the size of the wing and haltere. We also found that the microRNA <em>miR-306</em> controls <em>abrupt</em> expression and that <em>miR-306</em> and <em>abrupt</em> genetically interact to control wing size. Moreover, the reduced appendage size due to <em>abrupt</em> inactivation is rescued by overexpression of <em>Cyclin-E</em> and by inactivation of <em>dacapo</em>. These findings define a <em>miR-306-abrupt</em> regulatory axis that controls wing and haltere size, whereby <em>miR-306</em> maintains appropriate levels of <em>abrupt</em> expression which, in turn, regulates the cell cycle. Thus, our results uncover a novel function of <em>abrupt</em> in the regulation of the size of <em>Drosophila</em> appendages during development and contribute to the understanding of the coordination between growth and pattern as well as to the understanding of <em>abrupt</em> oncogenic function in flies.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"158 ","pages":"Article 103555"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.103555","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37264396","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Nicole Le Douarin and the use of quail-chick chimeras to study the developmental fate of neural crest and hematopoietic cells","authors":"Domenico Ribatti","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103557","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103557","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The quail-chick chimera marking system, devised in 1969, gave a new impetus to the analysis of cell migrations and interactions in the developing nervous, immune and hematopoietic systems. The method is based on the observation that the constitutive heterochromatin in all embryonic and adult cells of the quail is condensed in one large mass in the centre of the nucleus and is associated with the nucleolus, making this organelle strongly stained with the Feulgen–Rossenbeck reaction. The association of cells or rudiments from two avian species, advocated as a means to identify cells that migrate during embryogenesis, was rapidly recognized in this context as a useful tool for the study of many developmental biology problems. This article summarizes the fundamental contribution of Nicole Le Douarin to the discovery and the application of this technique over the last 40 years.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"158 ","pages":"Article 103557"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.103557","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37273850","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ziyi Guo , Yijie Tao , Shulei Yin , Yuping Song , Xiaomin Lu , Xuesong Li , Yujuan Fan , Xiaofang Fan , Sheng Xu , Jialin Yang , Yizhi Yu
{"title":"The transcription factor Foxp1 regulates the differentiation and function of dendritic cells","authors":"Ziyi Guo , Yijie Tao , Shulei Yin , Yuping Song , Xiaomin Lu , Xuesong Li , Yujuan Fan , Xiaofang Fan , Sheng Xu , Jialin Yang , Yizhi Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.05.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.05.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Dendritic cells (DCs) are the sentinels of the immune system and play a critical role in initiating adaptive immune responses against pathogens. As the most powerful antigen presenting cells, DCs are also important in maintaining immune homeostasis and participating in the development of autoimmune diseases. How the maturation and function of DCs is regulated in these conditions and what is the function of various transcription factors is still unclear. In this study, we found that the expression of the transcription factor Foxp1 gradually increased during the maturation of DCs. Then, we constructed a recombinant adenovirus carrying Foxp1-interfering RNA (Ad-simFoxp1) and transfected murine bone marrow-derived DCs <em>in vitro</em>. DCs transfected with Ad-simFoxp1 exhibited markedly lower costimulatory molecules, and decreased cytokines. And Ad-simFoxp1 greatly inhibited mature DC-induced T cell responses. Moreover, <em>in vivo</em> infusion with Ad-simFoxp1-modified DCs significantly delayed the onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Therefore, adoptive transfection of Ad-simFoxp1 in DCs may be a potential treatment strategy against autoimmune diseases.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"158 ","pages":"Article 103554"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.05.001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37394236","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Huibert F. van Waegeningh , Fenna A. Ebbens , Erik van Spronsen , Roelof-Jan Oostra
{"title":"Single origin of the epithelium of the human middle ear","authors":"Huibert F. van Waegeningh , Fenna A. Ebbens , Erik van Spronsen , Roelof-Jan Oostra","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103556","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.103556","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><p>The epithelium lining the human middle ear and adjacent temporal bone cavity shows a varying morphological appearance throughout these cavities. Its embryologic origin has long been debated and recently got attention in a newly proposed theory of a dual embryologic origin. The epithelial morphology and its differentiating capabilities are of significance in future mucosa-targeted therapeutic agents and could affect surgical approaches of the temporal bone. This study aims to analyze reported murine histological findings that led to the theory of a dual epithelial embryological origin and immunohistochemically investigate whether such an epithelial embryological origin in the human fetal middle ear could be true.</p></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><p>By combining a sagittal sectioning technique and immuno-histochemical staining, a comprehensive immuno-histological overview of the fetal human middle ear during a critical stage of tympanic cavitation was provided. A critical analysis of previously reported findings leading to the theory of a dual epithelial embryological origin and a comparison of these findings to the findings in the human fetal middle ear was performed.</p></div><div><h3>Results</h3><p>The reported findings and critical analysis provide multiple arguments for an entirely endodermal embryonic origin of the epithelium lining the tympanic cavity.</p></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><p>Different morphological epithelial appearances throughout the tympanic and temporal bone cavities could be explained by different stages of epithelial differentiation rather than different embryologic origin and endodermal rupture does not seem to be a necessity for these cavities to form.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"158 ","pages":"Article 103556"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.103556","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37268924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pedro M. Domingos, A. Jenny, David del Álamo, M. Mlodzik, H. Steller, B. Mollereau
{"title":"Regulation of Numb during planar cell polarity establishment in the Drosophila eye","authors":"Pedro M. Domingos, A. Jenny, David del Álamo, M. Mlodzik, H. Steller, B. Mollereau","doi":"10.1101/686840","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/686840","url":null,"abstract":"The establishment of planar cell polarity (PCP) in the Drosophila eye requires correct specification of the R3/R4 pair of photoreceptor cells, determined by a Frizzled mediated signaling event that specifies R3 and induces Delta to activate Notch signaling in the neighboring cell, specifying it as R4. Here, we investigated the role of the Notch signaling negative regulator Numb in the specification of R3/R4 fates and PCP establishment in the Drosophila eye. We observed that Numb is transiently upregulated in R3 at the time of R3/R4 specification. This regulation of Numb levels in developing photoreceptors occurs at the post-transcriptional level and is dependent on Dishevelled, an effector of Frizzled signaling, and Lethal Giant Larva. We detected PCP defects in cells homozygous for numb15, but these defects were due to a loss of function mutation in fat (fatQ805*) being present in the numb15 chromosome. However, mosaic overexpression of Numb in R4 precursors (only) caused PCP defects and numb loss-of-function had a modifying effect on the defects found in a hypomorphic dishevelled mutation. Our results suggest that Numb levels are upregulated to reinforce the bias of Notch signaling activation in the R3/R4 pair, two post-mitotic cells that are not specified by asymmetric cell division.","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46714484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Steven Q. Irvine , Katherine B. McNulty , Evelyn M. Siler , Rose E. Jacobson
{"title":"High temperature limits on developmental canalization in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis","authors":"Steven Q. Irvine , Katherine B. McNulty , Evelyn M. Siler , Rose E. Jacobson","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The normal embryogenesis of marine animals is typically confined to a species-specific range of temperatures. Within that temperature range development results in a consistent, or canalized, phenotype, whereas above and below the range abnormal phenotypes are produced. This study reveals a high temperature threshold, occurring over a 1–2 °C range, for normal embryonic development in <em>C. intestinalis</em>. Above that threshold the prevalence of morphological abnormalities increases significantly, beginning with cleavage and gastrula stages, and becoming more pronounced as embryogenesis proceeds. However, even in highly morphologically abnormal temperature disrupted (TD) embryos, muscle, endoderm, notochord, epidermis, and sensory pigment cells are recognizable, as evidenced by histochemical markers or morphology. On the other hand, morphogenesis of the notochord and other structures is dependent on precise cell movement and shape changes after the gastrula stage, which are disrupted above the high temperature threshold. These findings suggest that morphogenetic processes may be more sensitive to high temperature than cell type specification events. They also point to avenues for investigation of the limiting factors to developmental canalization in marine invertebrates.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 10-21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37188955","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kevin D. Thiessen , Steven J. Grzegorski , Yvonne Chin , Lisa N. Higuchi , Christopher J. Wilkinson , Jordan A. Shavit , Kenneth L. Kramer
{"title":"Zebrafish otolith biomineralization requires polyketide synthase","authors":"Kevin D. Thiessen , Steven J. Grzegorski , Yvonne Chin , Lisa N. Higuchi , Christopher J. Wilkinson , Jordan A. Shavit , Kenneth L. Kramer","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Deflecting biomineralized crystals attached to vestibular hair cells are necessary for maintaining balance. Zebrafish (<em>Danio rerio</em>) are useful organisms to study these biomineralized crystals called otoliths, as many required genes are homologous to human otoconial development. We sought to identify and characterize the causative gene in a trio of homozygous recessive mutants, <em>no content</em> (<em>nco</em>) and <em>corkscrew</em> (<em>csr</em>), and <em>vanished</em> (<em>vns</em>), which fail to develop otoliths during early ear development. We show that <em>nco</em>, <em>csr</em>, and <em>vns</em> have potentially deleterious mutations in polyketide synthase (<em>pks1</em>), a multi-modular protein that has been previously implicated in biomineralization events in chordates and echinoderms. We found that Otoconin-90 (Oc90) expression within the otocyst is diffuse in <em>nco</em> and <em>csr</em>; therefore, it is not sufficient for otolith biomineralization in zebrafish. Similarly, normal localization of Otogelin, a protein required for otolith tethering in the otolithic membrane, is not sufficient for Oc90 attachment. Furthermore, eNOS signaling and Endothelin-1 signaling were the most up- and down-regulated pathways during otolith agenesis in <em>nco</em>, respectively. Our results demonstrate distinct processes for otolith nucleation and biomineralization in vertebrates and will be a starting point for models that are independent of Oc90-mediated seeding. This study will serve as a basis for investigating the role of eNOS signaling and Endothelin-1 signaling during otolith formation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"157 ","pages":"Pages 1-9"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.04.001","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37142170","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Prenatal catch-up growth: A study in avian embryos","authors":"Jacopo P. Mortola","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.03.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.03.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Whether the growth of embryos after a period of stunt becomes accelerated (Catch-Up Growth, CUGr), as it occurs postnatally, has rarely been examined experimentally in any class of animals. Here, hypoxia or cold of different degrees and durations caused growth retardation in chicken embryos during the first or second week of incubation. On average, on the day of removal of the growth-inhibition, the weight of the experimental groups was 73% (wet) and 61% (dry) of control embryos, while near end-incubation (embryonic day E18) their weight averaged significantly more, respectively, 80% and 84% of controls (<em>P</em> < 0.001). When compared as function of developmental time, the post-intervention growth of experimental embryos was faster than that of controls. The faster growth was fully accounted for by their smaller weight at end-intervention, because embryonic growth is higher the smaller the weight. Hence, their growth was appropriate for their weight, rather than for their age. In fact, out of eight different models of growth based on age and weight (wet or dry) in various combination, the model based on embryonic wet weight at end-intervention, and weight alone, was the best predictor of the embryo's post-intervention growth. The oxygen consumption of the experimental embryos during CUGr was appropriate for their weight. In conclusion, in this experimental model of CUGr, the embryo's weight at the end of a stunt could fully predict and explain the rate of growth during the post-intervention recovery period.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"156 ","pages":"Pages 32-40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.03.003","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37112049","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rachel L. Padget, Shilpa S. Mohite, Tanner G. Hoog, Blake S. Justis, Bruce E. Green, Ryan S. Udan
{"title":"Hemodynamic force is required for vascular smooth muscle cell recruitment to blood vessels during mouse embryonic development","authors":"Rachel L. Padget, Shilpa S. Mohite, Tanner G. Hoog, Blake S. Justis, Bruce E. Green, Ryan S. Udan","doi":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.02.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.mod.2019.02.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Blood vessel maturation, which is characterized by the investment of vascular smooth muscle cells (vSMCs) around developing blood vessels, begins when vessels remodel into a hierarchy of proximal arteries and proximal veins that branch into smaller distal capillaries. The ultimate result of maturation is formation of the tunica media—the middlemost layer of a vessel that is composed of vSMCs and acts to control vessel integrity and vascular tone. Though many studies have implicated the role of various signaling molecules in regulating maturation, no studies have determined a role for hemodynamic force in the regulation of maturation in the mouse. In the current study, we provide evidence that a hemodynamic force-dependent mechanism occurs in the mouse because reduced blood flow mouse embryos exhibited a diminished or absent coverage of vSMCs around vessels, and in normal-flow embryos, extent of coverage correlated to the amount of blood flow that vessels were exposed to. We also determine that the cellular mechanism of force-induced maturation was not by promoting vSMC differentiation/proliferation, but instead involved the recruitment of vSMCs away from neighboring low-flow distal capillaries towards high-flow vessels. Finally, we hypothesize that hemodynamic force may regulate expression of specific signaling molecules to control vSMC recruitment to high-flow vessels, as reduction of flow results in the misexpression of <em>Semaphorin 3A</em>, <em>3F</em>, <em>3G</em>, and the Notch target gene <em>Hey1</em>, all of which are implicated in controlling vessel maturation. This study reveals another role for hemodynamic force in regulating blood vessel development of the mouse, and opens up a new model to begin elucidating mechanotransduction pathways regulating vascular maturation.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":49844,"journal":{"name":"Mechanisms of Development","volume":"156 ","pages":"Pages 8-19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2019-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1016/j.mod.2019.02.002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"37167080","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}