{"title":"The early development of germ cells in chicken.","authors":"Young Min Kim, Jae Yong Han","doi":"10.1387/ijdb.170283jh","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.170283jh","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the founder cells for mature gametes, the vehicles by which individuals transmit genetic and epigenetic information to later generations. Since the 19<sup>th</sup> century, avian species (chickens in particular) have been widely used for germ cell research. Previous studies have used chicken PGCs for a variety of research applications, including as a model for studies focusing on germline development. Other applications of chicken PGCs, including conservation efforts for avian species and methods of producing transgenic birds, have further reinforced the importance of these cells. However, much remains to be revealed about the origin and role of PGCs during their development in the chicken. Here, we provide a comprehensive review of chicken PGCs, focusing in particular upon their initial profiles and physiological changes during development as regulated by environmental factors and/or intrinsic mechanisms. We also emphasise sex-dependent differences in PGC development after settlement within the gonads, as well as future applications for avian PGCs.</p>","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":" ","pages":"145-152"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1387/ijdb.170283jh","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35975422","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}
{"title":"An obsession with the chick.","authors":"Ruth Bellairs","doi":"10.1387/ijdb.180028rb","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.180028rb","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper provides a brief account of some aspects of the career of Ruth Bellairs using selected examples from her research publications, with the emphasis being placed on the early stages of chick embryo development, and in particular, on cell migration. Topics include the role of Hensen's node, the vitelline membrane, the structure and segmentation of somites, the tail bud and the Wolffian duct. Her research approach has involved embryo culture, experimental surgery, transmission and scanning electron microscopy, time-lapse filming and immunostaining techniques.</p>","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":" ","pages":"15-18"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1387/ijdb.180028rb","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35975423","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}
{"title":"A life in Science with the avian embryo.","authors":"Nicole M Le Douarin","doi":"10.1387/ijdb.170287NL","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/ijdb.170287NL","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>My career in research was a second thought. I first (during 8 years) worked as a secondary school teacher and after 4-5 years, during which my two daughters were born, I found a way to escape from what was to be a lifetime job. For two years, my initiation to research was limited to the free time left by my teaching duties. This period of time was a bit \"complicated\" but not enough to prevent me to realize that research was really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life… And this was when I became acquainted with the chick embryo. This companionship later became extended to another representative of the avian world: the quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). I recall in the following lines a survey of scientific stories that came out from my association with these precious animals, ... not without a feeling of gratitude.</p>","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":" ","pages":"19-33"},"PeriodicalIF":0.7,"publicationDate":"2018-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1387/ijdb.170287NL","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"35975869","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}
{"title":"Aurora-A: an expedition to the pole of the spindle in Xenopus egg extracts.","authors":"J. Kubiak, C. Prigent","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160189JK","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160189JK","url":null,"abstract":"The aim of this short review is to describe the contribution of Xenopus laevis egg extracts to the discovery and understanding of the regulation and function of the serine/threonine kinase Aurora-A. The power of these extracts to recapitulate cell cycle events makes them a precious tool to decipher complex biological processes at the molecular level, including the mechanisms that affect Aurora-A (post-translational modifications) and mechanisms in which Aurora-A plays a crucial role (bipolar spindle assembly). We focus on the results obtained in cell-free extracts, but we also give an updated overview of Aurora A functions found in other systems.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"38 1","pages":"255-261"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74498907","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}
M. Dȩbowski, Mohammed El Dika, J. Malejczyk, R. Zdanowski, C. Prigent, J. Tassan, M. Kloc, M. Lachowicz, J. Kubiak
{"title":"Flexibility vs. robustness in cell cycle regulation of timing of M-phase entry in Xenopus laevis embryo cell-free extract.","authors":"M. Dȩbowski, Mohammed El Dika, J. Malejczyk, R. Zdanowski, C. Prigent, J. Tassan, M. Kloc, M. Lachowicz, J. Kubiak","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160134JK","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160134JK","url":null,"abstract":"During the cell cycle, cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) play major roles in the regulation of mitosis. CDK1 phosphorylates a series of substrates triggering M-phase entry. Most of these substrates are dephosphorylated by PP2A. To allow phosphorylation of CDK1 substrates, PP2A is progressively inactivated upon M-phase entry. We have shown previously that the interplay between these two activities determines the timing of M-phase entry. Slight diminution of CDK1 activity by the RO3306 inhibitor delays M-phase entry in a dose-dependent manner in Xenopus embryo cell-free extract, while reduction of PP2A activity by OA inhibitor accelerates this process also in a dose-dependent manner. However, when a mixture of RO3306 and OA is added to the extract, an intermediate timing of M-phase entry is observed. Here we use a mathematical model to describe and understand this interplay. Simulations showing acceleration and delay in M-phase entry match previously described experimental data. CDC25 phosphatase is a major activator of CDK1 and acts through CDK1 Tyr15 and Thr14 dephosphorylation. Addition of CDC25 activity to our mathematical model was also consistent with our experimental results. To verify whether our assumption that the dynamics of CDC25 activation used in this model are the same in all experimental variants, we analyzed the dynamics of CDC25 phosphorylation, which reflect its activation. We confirm that these dynamics are indeed very similar in control extracts and when RO3306 and OA are present separately. However, when RO3306 and OA are added simultaneously to the extract, activation of CDC25 is slightly delayed. Integration of this parameter allowed us to improve our model. Furthermore, the pattern of CDK1 dephosphorylation on Tyr15 showed that the real dynamics of CDK1 activation are very similar in all experimental variants. The model presented here accurately describes, in mathematical terms, how the interplay between CDK1, PP2A and CDC25 controls the flexible timing of M-phase entry.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"54 2 1","pages":"305-314"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74317937","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}
{"title":"MPF, starfish oocyte and cell-free extract in the background - an interview with Takeo Kishimoto.","authors":"J. Kubiak, T. Kishimoto","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160348JK","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160348JK","url":null,"abstract":"Professor Takeo Kishimoto's research has an enormous impact on the cell cycle field. Although his favorite model has always been a starfish oocyte, he has used many other model organisms in his research. Cell-free extracts have been wildly used in his laboratory as a very useful tool to answer cell cycle research questions. Recently, professor Kishimoto discovered the identity of the M-phase promoting factor (MPF) that was thought for years to be cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). However, Takeo Kishimoto found that MPF consists in fact of two kinases: CDK1 and Greatwall kinase. While CDK1 phosphorylates mitotic substrates, Greatwall kinase allows these substrates to persist in their phosphorylated state because it regulates phosphatase PP2A, which dephosphorylates the majority of CDK1 substrates. When I started to interview Prof. Kishimoto, I was mostly interested in his experiences with cell-free extracts. However, as you will see below we almost immediately turned to the problem of the identity of MPF. This is fully understandable because the identity of MPF seems to be a major interest in Takeo's scientific career. I hope readers will enjoy this interview and will be able to learn about many aspects of scientific research, which do not usually appear in regular research papers.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"49 1","pages":"193-200"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"88717138","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}
{"title":"Cell-free extracts in Development and Cancer Research for over 40 years.","authors":"J. Kubiak","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160222JK","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160222JK","url":null,"abstract":"Analysis of cell-free extracts has allowed us to understand many of the fundamental processes of cell physiology and pathology, including those involved in embryo development and cancer. This methodology is being continuously modified and improved. Papers selected for this Special Issue will show readers the plethora of systems and applications of this methodology.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"15 1","pages":"189-191"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74460218","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}
{"title":"Chromatin assembly and transcriptional cross-talk in Xenopus laevis oocyte and egg extracts.","authors":"Wei-lin Wang, D. Shechter","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160161DS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160161DS","url":null,"abstract":"Chromatin, primarily a complex of DNA and histone proteins, is the physiological form of the genome. Chromatin is generally repressive for transcription and other information transactions that occur on DNA. A wealth of post-translational modifications on canonical histones and histone variants encode regulatory information to recruit or repel effector proteins on chromatin, promoting and further repressing transcription and thereby form the basis of epigenetic information. During metazoan oogenesis, large quantities of histone proteins are synthesized and stored in preparation for the rapid early cell cycles of development and to elicit maternal control of chromatin assembly pathways. Oocyte and egg cell-free extracts of the frog Xenopus laevis are a compelling model system for the study of chromatin assembly and transcription, precisely because they exist in an extreme state primed for rapid chromatin assembly or for transcriptional activity. We show that chromatin assembly rates are slower in the X. laevis oocyte than in egg extracts, while conversely, only oocyte extracts transcribe template plasmids. We demonstrate that rapid chromatin assembly in egg extracts represses RNA Polymerase II dependent transcription, while pre-binding of TATA-Binding Protein (TBP) to a template plasmid promotes transcription. Our experimental evidence presented here supports a model in which chromatin assembly and transcription are in competition and that the onset of zygotic genomic activation may be in part due to stable transcriptional complex assembly.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"37 1","pages":"315-320"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"81202144","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}
{"title":"Chaperone-mediated chromatin assembly and transcriptional regulation in Xenopus laevis.","authors":"Takashi Onikubo, D. Shechter","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.130188DS","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.130188DS","url":null,"abstract":"Chromatin is the complex of DNA and histone proteins that is the physiological form of the eukaryotic genome. Chromatin is generally repressive for transcription, especially so during early metazoan development when maternal factors are explicitly in control of new zygotic gene expression. In the important model organism Xenopus laevis, maturing oocytes are transcriptionally active with reduced rates of chromatin assembly, while laid eggs and fertilized embryos have robust rates of chromatin assembly and are transcriptionally repressed. As the DNA-to-cytoplasmic ratio decreases approaching the mid-blastula transition (MBT) and the onset of zygotic genome activation (ZGA), the chromatin assembly process changes with the concomitant reduction in maternal chromatin components. Chromatin assembly is mediated in part by histone chaperones that store maternal histones and release them into new zygotic chromatin. Here, we review literature on chromatin and transcription in frog embryos and cell-free extracts and highlight key insights demonstrating the roles of maternal and zygotic histone deposition and their relationship with transcriptional regulation. We explore the central historical and recent literature on the use of Xenopus embryos and the key contributions provided by experiments in cell-free oocyte and egg extracts for the interplay between histone chaperones, chromatin assembly, and transcriptional regulation. Ongoing and future studies in Xenopus cell free extracts will likely contribute essential new insights into the interplay between chromatin assembly and transcriptional regulation.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"1 1","pages":"271-276"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74945922","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}
S. Vigneron, Perle Robert, Khaled Hached, Lena Sundermann, S. Charrasse, J. Labbé, A. Castro, T. Lorca
{"title":"The master Greatwall kinase, a critical regulator of mitosis and meiosis.","authors":"S. Vigneron, Perle Robert, Khaled Hached, Lena Sundermann, S. Charrasse, J. Labbé, A. Castro, T. Lorca","doi":"10.1387/IJDB.160155TL","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1387/IJDB.160155TL","url":null,"abstract":"Entry into mitosis requires the coordinated activation of various protein kinases and phosphatases that together activate sequential signaling pathways allowing entry, progression and exit of mitosis. The limiting step is thought to be the activation of the mitotic Cdk1-cyclin B kinase. However, this model has recently evolved with new data showing that in addition to the Cdk1-cyclin B complex, Greatwall (Gwl) kinase is also required to enter into and maintain mitosis. This new concept proposes that entry into mitosis is now based on the combined activation of both kinases Cdk1-cyclin B and Gwl, the former promoting massive phosphorylation of mitotic substrates and the latter inhibiting PP2A-B55 phosphatase responsible for dephosphorylation of these substrates. Activated Gwl phosphorylates both Arpp19 and ENSA, which associate and inhibit PP2A-B55. This pathway seems relatively well conserved from yeast to humans, although some differences appear based on models or techniques used. While Gwl is activated by phosphorylation, its inactivation requires dephosphorylation of critical residues. Several phosphatases such as PP1, PP2A-B55 and FCP1 are required to control the dephosphorylation and inactivation of Gwl and a properly regulated mitotic exit. Gwl has also been reported to be involved in cancer processes and DNA damage recovery. These new findings support the idea that the Gwl-Arpp19/ENSA-PP2A-B55 pathway is essential to achieve an efficient division of cells and to maintain genomic stability.","PeriodicalId":94228,"journal":{"name":"The International journal of developmental biology","volume":"49 1","pages":"245-254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2016-10-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79092079","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}