We are grateful to Gurdon laboratory members for useful discussion. K.M. is a Research Fellow at Wolfson College and is supported by the Herchel Smith Postdoctoral Fellowship and the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Gurdon laboratory is supported by grants from the Wellcome Trust (RG69899) and MRC to J.B.G.

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M. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Chordin+is+required+for+the+Spemann+organizer+transplantation+phenomenon+in+Xenopus+embryos.">Chordin is required for the Spemann organizer transplantation phenomenon in Xenopus embryos.</a> Developmental cell. 4 (2), 219-230 (2003).</li><li>Szenker, E., Lacoste, N., Almouzni, G. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=A+developmental+requirement+for+HIRA-dependent+H3.3+deposition+revealed+at+gastrulation+in+Xenopus.">A developmental requirement for HIRA-dependent H3.3 deposition revealed at gastrulation in Xenopus.</a> Cell reports. 1 (6), 730-740 (2012).</li><li>Heasman, J., Holwill, S., Wylie, C. C. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Fertilization+of+cultured+Xenopus+oocytes+and+use+in+studies+of+maternally+inherited+molecules.">Fertilization of cultured Xenopus oocytes and use in studies of maternally inherited molecules.</a> Methods in cell biology. 36, 213-230 (1991).</li><li>Heasman, J., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Overexpression+of+cadherins+and+underexpression+of+beta-catenin+inhibit+dorsal+mesoderm+induction+in+early+Xenopus+embryos.">Overexpression of cadherins and underexpression of beta-catenin inhibit dorsal mesoderm induction in early Xenopus embryos.</a> Cell. 79 (5), 791-803 (1994).</li><li>Hulstrand, A. M., Schneider, P. N., Houston, D. 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P., et al. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Mammalian+nuclear+transplantation+to+Germinal+Vesicle+stage+Xenopus+oocytes+-+a+method+for+quantitative+transcriptional+reprogramming.">Mammalian nuclear transplantation to Germinal Vesicle stage Xenopus oocytes - a method for quantitative transcriptional reprogramming.</a> Methods. 51 (1), 56-65 (2010).</li><li>Astrand, C., Belikov, S., Wrange, O. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Search&doptcmdl=Citation&defaultField=Title+Word&term=Histone+acetylation+characterizes+chromatin+presetting+by+NF1+and+Oct1+and+enhances+glucocorticoid+receptor+binding+to+the+MMTV+promoter.">Histone acetylation characterizes chromatin presetting by NF1 and Oct1 and enhances glucocorticoid receptor binding to the MMTV promoter.</a> Experimental cell research. 315 (15), 2604-2615 (2009).</li><li>Amaya, E., Kroll, K. 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The authors have nothing to disclose.

Nós aqui detalhe um novo método para esgotar fatores maternos ou overexpress fatores exógenos antes da fertilização. Este sistema requer dois micro-injecções, mas em vez disso ignora a cirurgia de sapos, utilizado no método de transferência 7,17 hospedeiro. É ideal para remover a etapa cirurgia sapo em termos de cuidados com os animais. Além disso, não temos de levar em conta a qualidade de rãs do sexo feminino de acolhimento para os experimentos de transferência, o que significa que podemos nos livrar de um fator biológico que afeta o sucesso dos experimentos. Portanto, neste sistema a qualidade dos oócitos obtidos a partir de rãs PMSG-condicionadas é um importante fator biológico que é a chave para as experiências bem-sucedidas. A qualidade dos oócitos pode ser julgado após a coleta de ovário ou após defolliculation. Se qualquer anormalidade for observada nestas fases, é ideal para coletar outro ovário de uma nova rã. Outro ponto em que você pode verificar a qualidade do ovócito é após a maturação do oócito. Se menos do que 80% de progesteronaoócitos tratados-e mostrar sinais de maturação, você pode não ser capaz de obter o número suficiente de embriões para análises posteriores. O uso de defolliculation enzimática em vez de defolliculation manual é também uma outra vantagem de se utilizar este sistema para reduzir o trabalho necessário para defolliculation. No entanto, ainda é possível que defolliculation manual pode dar um desenvolvimento melhor do que o tratamento enzimático. Como mostrado na Figura 3, quase 10% dos oócitos maturados in vitro podem alcançar o estágio natação girino. Estes dados são recolhidos a partir de 13 experimentos independentes, incluindo os relatados em 8 e novos experimentos de injeção. Método de transferência anfitrião precisa 75-150 ovócitos em cada tratamento para a obtenção de dados significativos uma vez que 30-60% dos oócitos transferidos podem chegar à fase neurula 17. O nosso método começa normalmente com 200-300 oócitos em cada grupo experimental, uma vez que aproximadamente 40-60% dos embriões clivados pode chegar afase resposta muscular. Estes dados sugerem que ambos os métodos de desenvolvimento suporta uma taxa razoável. Temos até agora obtido 10 sapos vivos de oócitos com injeção de controle oligo antisense com injecção de mRNA e controle utilizando esta técnica, indicando que esta abordagem apoia o desenvolvimento por meio de metamorfose. Nosso método de manipulação de oócitos-ICSI é uma oportunidade para testar o papel dos fatores maternos durante o desenvolvimento embrionário muito cedo, logo após a fertilização. Além disso, a sobre-expressão de factores de modificação da cromatina antes da fertilização pode tornar possível a remodelação da cromatina materna antes da fertilização para a compreensão estados cromatina materna necessário para o desenvolvimento. Esta estratégia também pode funcionar bem com sistemas de edição gene atuais, como a transcrição ativador-like efetoras nuclease (TALEN) 18,19 e CRISPR / CAS9 20,21 uma vez que estes podem ser expressas, mesmo antes da fertilização. Portanto, a nossa nova abordagem tem uma potentiAl de ser utilizado para muitas aplicações no futuro.

Xenopus laevis é um amplamente utilizado, poderoso organismo modelo para estudar o desenvolvimento 1. Isso ocorre porque os ovos de Xenopus são extraordinariamente grande (cerca de 1,2-1,4 mm, em comparação com congéneres de mamíferos sendo cerca de 0,1 mm) e abundante. Os ovos contêm componentes maternalmente sintetizados e armazenados, que são o suficiente para conduzir o desenvolvimento embrionário até meados de transição blastula (MBT, que ocorre na fase de 8-8,5 com células 4,000-8,000). MBT é acompanhada de ativação do genoma zygotic, que então produz produtos de genes embrionários que direcionam o desenvolvimento. Numerosos estudos teve como objetivo identificar fatores maternos importantes para o desenvolvimento. Muitos estudos baseiam-se na injecção de oligonucleótidos anti-sentido (oligos), incluindo oligonucleótidos de morfolino em embriões fertilizados, caso em que a degradação de proteínas maternas podem ser observados na fase de gástrula 2-4. Alternativamente, os ARNm são injectados para fertilizados inbryos perturbar funções de genes ou para traçar destino de proteínas sobre-expressos. No entanto, a injecção nos embriões em estágio de uma célula normalmente não afeta os níveis de proteínas maternos expressão nas fases embrionárias muito cedo antes MBT. Heasman e Wylie estabelecido o método de transferência de acolhimento para superar esse problema 5. No método, os oócitos desfoliculados manualmente são injectados com oligonucleótidos anti-sentido e transferidos para fêmeas hospedeiras 6. As proteínas são reprimidos antes da fertilização, de modo que os papéis de proteínas downregulated no desenvolvimento embrionário precoce pode ser examinado. Este método de depleção materna levou à identificação de vários papéis de desenvolvimento únicas de proteínas maternas, como revisado em 7. Neste relatório, detalhamos o nosso método desenvolvido recentemente, em que a depleção materna ou sobre-expressão de mRNA antes da fertilização é conseguido sem defolliculation manual e transferência de acolhimento8. Defolliculation manual requer muito tempo e transferência de acolhimento muitas vezes precisa de técnicas hábeis e a licença específica para a cirurgia animal, dificultando, assim, o uso frequente de método de depleção materna. Defolliculation e transferência de acolhimento são substituídos por defolliculation enzimática 9,10 e injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóides (ICSI) 11-13, respectivamente. ICSI a ovos foi originalmente usado para produzir rãs transgênicos 12. Esperma e embrionárias núcleos também foram transplantadas para in vitro de oócitos de anfíbios amadureceu 11,14,15. Aqui, vamos mostrar o nosso método passo-a-passo para injetar esperma para oócitos maturados in vitro que foram pré-injectados com oligos anti-sentido ou mRNA.

<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="589">
	<tbody>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Name of Reagent/ Equipment</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Catalog Number</td>
			<td style="width:167px;">Comments/Description</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Pregnant Mare Serum Gonadotropin (PMSG)&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">MSD Animal Health</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Vm 01708/4309</td>
			<td>PMSG-Intervet 5000iu powder and solvent for solution for injection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Ethyl 3-aminobenzoate methanesulfonate salt (MS222)</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">A5040</td>
			<td>For anesthesia</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="24">
			<td height="24" style="height:24px;width:216px;">Liberase TM Research Grade</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Roche</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">05 401 127 001</td>
			<td>For oocyte defolliculation. Store at -20oC</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="72">
			<td height="72" style="height:72px;width:216px;">Drummond Nanoject</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Drummond Scientific Company</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">3-000-205/206</td>
			<td>For microinjection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">glass capillary&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Alpha laboratories</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">7&#8221; Drummond #3-000-203-G/XL</td>
			<td>For microinjection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Micropipette Puller&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">SUTTER Instrument</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Model D-97</td>
			<td>For microinjection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">UltraPure Agarose</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Invitrogen</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">16500-500</td>
			<td>For invitro maturation and ICSI</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="84">
			<td height="84" style="height:84px;width:216px;">14 ml ultra-clear centrifuge tube&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Beckman Coulter United Kingdom Ltd</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">344060</td>
			<td>For sperm purification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">OptiPrep Density Gradient Medium (Iodixanol)</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D1556</td>
			<td>For sperm purification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Digitonin</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Sigma</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">D141</td>
			<td>Cell permeabilization reagent</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">Shaker</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Hybaid&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">HB-SHK-1</td>
			<td>For oocyte defolliculation.</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Dissecting microscope (Stereo zoom microscope)</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">ZEISS</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Semi SV6</td>
			<td>For oocyte collection and microinjection</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">50 &#956;m pore filter</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">CellTrics</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">04-0042-2317</td>
			<td>For sperm purification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;">Ultracentrifuge</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Beckman Coulter</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">Optima L-100XP</td>
			<td>For sperm purification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="63">
			<td height="63" style="height:63px;width:216px;">50 ml centrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Cellstar Greiner Bio-One</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">227261 or 210261</td>
			<td>Oocyte collection and defolliculation reaction</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="21">
			<td height="21" style="height:21px;width:216px;">15 ml centrifuge tube</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">FALCON</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">352097</td>
			<td>For sperm purification</td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">90 mm Petri dish&#160;</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">Thermo Scientific</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">101VR20/C</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Easy-Grip Cell Culture Dish, 60x15 mm</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">FALCON</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">353004</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
		<tr height="42">
			<td height="42" style="height:42px;width:216px;">Easy-Grip Cell Culture Dish, 35x15 mm</td>
			<td style="width:87px;">FALCON</td>
			<td style="width:119px;">351008</td>
			<td></td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>

manipulation and in vitro maturation of xenopus laevis oocytes, followed by intracytoplasmic sperm injection, to study embryonic development

Amphibian eggs have been widely used to study embryonic development. Early embryonic development is driven by maternally stored factors accumulated during oogenesis. In order to study roles of such maternal factors in early embryonic development, it is desirable to manipulate their functions from the very beginning of embryonic development. Conventional ways of gene interference are achieved by injection of antisense oligonucleotides (oligos) or mRNA into fertilized eggs, enabling under- or over-expression of specific proteins, respectively. However, these methods normally require more than several hours until protein expression is affected, and, hence, the interference of gene functions is not effective during early embryonic stages. Here, we introduce an experimental system in which expression levels of maternal proteins can be altered before fertilization. Xenopus laevis oocytes obtained from ovaries are defolliculated by incubating with enzymes. Antisense oligos or mRNAs are injected into defolliculated oocytes at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage. These oocytes are in vitro matured to eggs at the metaphase II (MII) stage, followed by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). By this way, up to 10% of ICSI embryos can reach the swimming tadpole stage, thus allowing functional tests of specific gene knockdown or overexpression. This approach can be a useful way to study roles of maternally stored factors in early embryonic development.

O desenvolvimento embrionário de embriões utilizando ICSI em oócitos maturados in vitro foi analisado (Figura 3A). As taxas de maturação dos oócitos GV para o palco MII são variáveis ​​e depende muito da qualidade do oócito. Em boas experiências, quase 100% dos oócitos GV responder a progesterona e mostrar sinais de maturação do oócito, finalmente se tornando ovos na fase MII. Todos os oócitos foram submetidos a ICSI e cerca de 25% dos ovos injectados clivados (Figura 3A, n = 13 para o controlo scrambled oócitos injectados com oligo e n = 7 para não oócitos injectados com oligo). Cerca de 60% ou 80% dos embriões clivados, produzidos a partir de oócitos injectados com oligo de controlo ou oócitos não injectados, respectivamente, atingiram o estádio de blástula / gástrula. Entre os embriões de blástula / gástrula, cerca de metade dos embriões injectados com amostras em oligo foram de boa qualidade (quase nenhum sinal de clivagem anormal e apoptose), enquanto que 82% dos embriões de blástula / gástrula foram de boa qualidade em namostras em injectados (Figura 3A). Por fim, 41% e 11% dos embriões injectados clivados em amostras de oligo-atingiu a resposta muscular e as fases natação girino, respectivamente, enquanto 60% e 29% dos embriões clivados em amostras não injectados fez (Figura 3A). Estes embriões são ICSI a mistura de embriões normais e anormais (Figura 3B). Alguns deles sofrem metamorfose e desenvolver a amadurecer rãs 8. Estes resultados sugerem que a injecção de oligonucleótidos anti-sentido em oócitos GV, seguido por IVM e ICSI, permite o desenvolvimento embrionário inicial eficiente. Embora a injeção de si oligos antisense diminui o desenvolvimento embrionário, que ainda são capazes de obter embriões suficientes para muitos fins experimentais, como verificar as taxas de desenvolvimento, RT-PCR, Western Blot e assim por diante. <img alt="Figura 1" src="/files/ftp_upload/52496/52496fig1highres.jpg" /> Figo<html> ure 1: Os exemplos típicos de oócitos de Xenopus laevis de boa qualidade ou má qualidade de experimentos in vitro de maturação. (A) Um exemplo de oócitos de má qualidade. Por exemplo, os oócitos que mostram pigmentação irregular não são utilizadas para as experiências subsequentes. Cada oócito de Xenopus laevis é de cerca de 1,2-1,4 mm de diâmetro. (B) Um oócito parcialmente desfoliculados. A metade direita do oócito é coberta por células foliculares, os quais podem ser distinguidas pela presença de vasos sanguíneos. Uma seta mostra uma área livre de células do folículo e em que a agulha de injeção é injetado. (C) Um exemplo de oócitos de boa qualidade, que são do mesmo tamanho e mostram hemisférios animais uniformemente pigmentadas com claro contraste entre o hemisfério animal e do hemisfério vegetal. 2496 / 52496fig2highres.jpg &quot;/&gt; Figura 2:. Oócitos de Xenopus laevis, antes e após a maturação Após a maturação do oócito, claras manchas brancas aparecem no topo da hemisférios animais e células foliculares são descascadas. Cada laevis oócito Xenopus é de aproximadamente 1 mm de diâmetro. <img alt="Figura 3" src="/files/ftp_upload/52496/52496fig3highres.jpg" /> Figura 3: Desenvolvimento de embriões de ICSI, produzidos a partir de oócitos maturados in vitro. (A) O desenvolvimento de embriões de ICSI para cada fase é resumido. Os oócitos foram injectados com oligonucleótidos anti-sentido de controlo scrambled (controlo) de injecção de oligo ou sem injecção (não injectável), seguido por IVM e ICSI. O número correspondente de embriões em cada fase é mostrado acima das barras. A média ± SEM é mostrado. N = 4-13 experiências independentes / f diferenteemales. (B) Exemplos de sobrevivência de embriões de ICSI. Estes embriões nos estágios tailbud foram produzidos de uma experiência, em que cerca de 200 oócitos foram usadas como um material de partida.

Watch this Scientific Journal Video about Manipulation and In Vitro Maturation of Xenopus laevis Oocytes, Followed by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, to Study Embryonic Development at JoVE.com

Manipulation and In Vitro Maturation of Xenopus laevis Oocytes, Followed by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, to Study Embryonic Development

We describe methods of manipulating Xenopus laevis immature oocytes, in vitro maturation of oocytes to eggs, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This protocol allows degradation of some maternal proteins and overexpression of genes of interest at fertilization, and hence is valuable to study roles of specific factors in early embryonic development.

Manipulação e<em&gt; In Vitro</em&gt; Maturação<em&gt; Xenopus laevis</em&gt; Oócitos, seguido de injeção intracitoplasmática de espermatozóide, para estudar o desenvolvimento embrionário

Amphibian eggs have been widely used to study embryonic development. Early embryonic development is driven by maternally stored factors accumulated during ...

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Developmental Biology

Manipulation and In Vitro Maturation of Xenopus laevis Oocytes, Followed by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, to Study Embryonic Development

22.1K visualizações.  University of Cambridge. We describe methods of manipulating Xenopus laevis immature oocytes, in vitro maturation of oocytes to eggs, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This protocol allows degradation of some maternal proteins and overexpression of genes of interest at fertilization, and hence is valuable to study roles of specific factors in early embryonic development.

Vídeo: Manipulation and In Vitro Maturation of Xenopus laevis Oocytes, Followed by Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, to Study Embryonic Development

Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes

We report here a robust and efficient protocol for the expression of fluorescent proteins after mRNA injection into unfertilized oocytes of the cephalochordate amphioxus, Branchiostoma lanceolatum. We use constructs for membrane and nuclear targeted mCherry and eGFP that have been modified to accommodate amphioxus codon usage and Kozak consensus sequences. We describe the type of injection needles to be used, the immobilization protocol for the unfertilized oocytes, and the overall injection set-up. This technique generates fluorescently labeled embryos, in which the dynamics of cell behaviors during early development can be analyzed using the latest in vivo imaging strategies. The development of a microinjection technique in this amphioxus species will allow live imaging analyses of cell behaviors in the embryo as well as gene-specific manipulations, including gene overexpression and knockdown. Altogether, this protocol will further consolidate the basal chordate amphioxus as an animal model for addressing questions related to the mechanisms of embryonic development and, more importantly, to their evolution.

Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Branchiostoma lanceolatum by mRNA Injection into Unfertilized Oocytes

We report here the robust and efficient expression of fluorescent proteins after mRNA injection into unfertilized oocytes of Branchiostoma lanceolatum. The development of the microinjection technique in this basal chordate will pave the way for far-reaching technical innovations in this emerging model system, including in vivo imaging and gene-specific manipulations.

Expressão de proteínas fluorescentes em<em&gt; Branchiostoma lanceolatum</em&gt; Por injecção de mRNA em oócitos não fertilizados

We report here a robust and efficient protocol for the expression of fluorescent proteins after mRNA injection into unfertilized oocytes of the ...

Biologia do Desenvolvimento

Culture of Embryonic Mouse Cochlear Explants and Gene Transfer by Electroporation

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair cells are aligned in one row of inner hair cells and three rows of outer hair cells that extend along the basal to apical axis of the cochlea. The explant culture technique described here provides an efficient method to isolate and maintain cochlear explants from the embryonic mouse inner ear. Also, the morphology and molecular characteristics of sensory hair cells and nonsensory supporting cells within the cochlear explant cultures resemble those observed in vivo and can be studied within its intrinsic cellular environment. The cochlear explants can serve as important experimental tools for the identification and characterization of molecular and genetic pathways that are involved in cellular specification and patterning. Although transgenic mouse models provide an effective approach for gene expression studies, a considerable number of mouse mutants die during embryonic development thereby hindering the analysis and interpretation of developmental phenotypes. The organ of Corti from mutant mice that die before birth can be cultured so that their in vitro development and responses to different factors can be analyzed. Additionally, we describe a technique for electroporating embryonic cochlear explants ex vivo which can be used to downregulate or overexpress specific gene(s) and analyze their potential endogenous function and test whether specific gene product is necessary or sufficient in a given context to influence mammalian cochlear development1-8.

We present a method that describes isolation and culture of cochlear explants from embryonic mouse inner ear. We also demonstrate a method for gene transfer into cochlear explants via square-wave electroporation. The in vitro explant culture coupled with gene transfer technique enables researchers to study the effects of altering gene expression during development.

Cultura da embrionárias mouse cocleares explantes e Gene Transferência de Eletroporação

Auditory hair cells located within the mouse organ of Corti detect and transmit sound information to the central nervous system. The mechanosensory hair ...

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients

This protocol describes a method to visualise ligands distributed across a field of cells. The ease of expressing exogenous proteins, together with the large size of their cells in early embryos, make Xenopus laevis a useful model for visualising GFP-tagged ligands. Synthetic mRNAs are efficiently translated after injection into early stage Xenopus embryos, and injections can be targeted to a single cell. When combined with a lineage tracer such as membrane tethered RFP, the injected cell (and its descendants) that are producing the overexpressed protein can easily be followed. This protocol describes a method for the production of fluorescently tagged Wnt and Shh ligands from injected mRNA. The methods involve the micro dissection of ectodermal explants (animal caps) and the analysis of ligand diffusion in multiple samples. By using confocal imaging, information about ligand secretion and diffusion over a field of cells can be obtained. Statistical analyses of confocal images provide quantitative data on the shape of ligand gradients. These methods may be useful to researchers who want to test the effects of factors that may regulate the shape of morphogen gradients.

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients

The manuscript here provides a simple set of methods for analysing the secretion and diffusion of fluorescently tagged ligands in Xenopus. This provides a context for testing the ability of other proteins to modify ligand distribution and allowing experiments that may give insight into mechanisms regulating morphogen gradients.

Utilizando Análise de confocal<em&gt; Xenopus laevis</em&gt; Para Investigar moduladores de Wnt e Shh morfogénio gradientes

This protocol describes a method to visualise ligands distributed across a field of cells. The ease of expressing exogenous proteins, together with the ...

Stem cell-like Xenopus Embryonic Explants to Study Early Neural Developmental Features In Vitro and In Vivo

Understanding the genetic programs underlying neural development is an important goal of developmental and stem cell biology. In the amphibian blastula, cells from the roof of the blastocoel are pluripotent. These cells can be isolated, and programmed to generate various tissues through manipulation of genes expression or induction by morphogens. In this manuscript protocols are described for the use of Xenopus laevis blastocoel roof explants as an assay system to investigate key in vivo and in vitro features of early neural development. These protocols allow the investigation of fate acquisition, cell migration behaviors, and cell autonomous and non-autonomous properties. The blastocoel roof explants can be cultured in a serum-free defined medium and grafted into host embryos. This transplantation into an embryo allows the investigation of the long-term lineage commitment, the inductive properties, and the behavior of transplanted cells in vivo. These assays can be exploited to investigate molecular mechanisms, cellular processes and gene regulatory networks underlying neural development. In the context of regenerative medicine, these assays provide a means to generate neural-derived cell types in vitro that could be used in drug screening.

Stem cell-like Xenopus Embryonic Explants to Study Early Neural Developmental Features In Vitro and In Vivo

In Xenopus embryos, cells from the roof of the blastocoel are pluripotent and can be programmed to generate various tissues. Here, we describe protocols to use amphibian blastocoel roof explants as an assay system to investigate key in vivo and in vitro features of early neural development.

Stem Cell-like<em&gt; Xenopus</em&gt; Embrionárias explantes Estudar características Neural desenvolvimento precoce<em&gt; In Vitro</em&gt; E<em&gt; In Vivo</em

Understanding the genetic programs underlying neural development is an important goal of developmental and stem cell biology. In the amphibian blastula, ...

Technique to Target Microinjection to the Developing Xenopus Kidney

The embryonic kidney of Xenopus&#160;laevis (frog), the pronephros, consists of a single nephron, and can be used as a model for kidney disease. Xenopus embryos are large, develop externally, and can be easily manipulated by microinjection or surgical procedures. In addition, fate maps have been established for early Xenopus embryos. Targeted microinjection into the individual blastomere that will eventually give rise to an organ or tissue of interest can be used to selectively overexpress or knock down gene expression within this restricted region, decreasing secondary effects in the rest of the developing embryo. In this protocol, we describe how to utilize established Xenopus fate maps to target the developing Xenopus kidney (the pronephros), through microinjection into specific blastomere of 4- and 8-cell embryos. Injection of lineage tracers allows verification of the specific targeting of the injection. After embryos have developed to stage 38 - 40, whole-mount immunostaining is used to visualize pronephric development, and the contribution by targeted cells to the pronephros can be assessed. The same technique can be adapted to target other tissue types in addition to the pronephros.

Technique to Target Microinjection to the Developing Xenopus Kidney

Here, we present a protocol to use fate maps and lineage tracers to target injections into individual blastomeres that give rise to the kidney of Xenopus laevis embryos.

Técnica ao Target microinjeção para o desenvolvimento<em&gt; Xenopus</em&gt; Kidney

The embryonic kidney of Xenopus&#160;laevis (frog), the pronephros, consists of a single nephron, and can be used as a model for kidney disease. Xenopus ...

Functional Manipulation of Maternal Gene Products Using In Vitro Oocyte Maturation in Zebrafish

Cellular events that take place during the earliest stages of animal embryonic development are driven by maternally derived gene products deposited into the developing oocyte. Because these events rely on maternal products which typically act very soon after fertilization-that preexist inside the egg, standard approaches for expression and functional reduction involving the injection of reagents into the fertilized egg are typically ineffective. Instead, such manipulations must be performed during oogenesis, prior to or during the accumulation of maternal products. This article describes in detail a protocol for the in vitro maturation of immature zebrafish oocytes and their subsequent in vitro fertilization, yielding viable embryos that survive to adulthood. This method allows the functional manipulation of maternal products during oogenesis, such as the expression of products for phenotypic rescue and tagged construct visualization, as well as the reduction of gene function through reverse-genetics agents.

Functional Manipulation of Maternal Gene Products Using In Vitro Oocyte Maturation in Zebrafish

An optimized protocol for the in vitro maturation of zebrafish oocytes used for the manipulation of maternal gene products is presented here.

Manipulação funcional do gene materno produtos Usando<em&gt; In Vitro</em&gt; Maturação do oócito em Zebrafish

Cellular events that take place during the earliest stages of animal embryonic development are driven by maternally derived gene products deposited into ...

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Embryonic Angiogenesis in Xenopus tropicalis

Blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and the formation of the vascular network is under tight developmental control. The efficient in vivo visualization of blood vessels and the reliable quantification of their complexity are key to understanding the biology and disease of the vascular network. Here, we provide a detailed method to visualize blood vessels with a commercially available fluorescent dye, human plasma acetylated low density lipoprotein DiI complex (DiI-AcLDL), and to quantify their complexity in Xenopus tropicalis. Blood vessels can be labeled by a simple injection of DiI-AcLDL into the beating heart of an embryo, and blood vessels in the entire embryo can be imaged in live or fixed embryos. Combined with gene perturbation by the targeted microinjection of nucleic acids and/or the bath application of pharmacological reagents, the roles of a gene or of a signaling pathway on vascular development can be investigated within one week without resorting to sophisticated genetically engineered animals. Because of the well-defined venous system of Xenopus and its stereotypic angiogenesis, the sprouting of pre-existing vessels, vessel complexity can be quantified efficiently after perturbation experiments. This relatively simple protocol should serve as an easily accessible tool in diverse fields of cardiovascular research.

Visualization and Quantitative Analysis of Embryonic Angiogenesis in Xenopus tropicalis

This protocol demonstrates a fluorescence-based method to visualize the vasculature and to quantify its complexity in Xenopus tropicalis. Blood vessels can be imaged minutes after the injection of a fluorescent dye into the beating heart of an embryo after genetic and/or pharmacological manipulations to study cardiovascular development in vivo.

Visualização e Análise Quantitativa da Angiogênese Embrionária<em&gt; Xenopus tropicalis</em

Blood vessels supply oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and the formation of the vascular network is under tight developmental control. The ...

Organotypic Culture Method to Study the Development Of Embryonic Chicken Tissues

The embryonic chicken is commonly used as a reliable model organism for vertebrate development. Its accessibility and short incubation period makes it ideal for experimentation. Currently, the study of these developmental pathways in the chicken embryo is conducted by applying inhibitors and drugs at localized sites and at low concentrations using a variety of methods. In vitro tissue&#160;culturing is a technique that enables the study of tissues separated from the host organism, while simultaneously bypassing many of the physical limitations present when working with whole embryos, such as the susceptibility of embryos to high doses of potentially lethal chemicals. Here, we present an organotypic culturing protocol for culturing the embryonic chicken half head in vitro, which presents new opportunities for the examination of developmental processes beyond the currently established methods.

Here, we present an organotypic culturing protocol to grow embryonic chicken organs in vitro. Using this method, the development of embryonic chicken tissue can be studied, while maintaining a high degree of control over the culture environment.

Cultura de organotypic método para estudar o desenvolvimento de tecidos embrionários de galinha

The embryonic chicken is commonly used as a reliable model organism for vertebrate development. Its accessibility and short incubation period makes it ...

Microinjection of DNA into Eyebuds in Xenopus laevis Embryos and Imaging of GFP Expressing Optic Axonal Arbors in Intact, Living Xenopus Tadpoles

The primary visual projection of tadpoles of the aquatic frog Xenopus laevis serves as an excellent model system for studying mechanisms that regulate the development of neuronal connectivity. During establishment of the retino-tectal projection, optic axons extend from the eye and navigate through distinct regions of the brain to reach their target tissue, the optic tectum. Once optic axons enter the tectum, they elaborate terminal arbors that function to increase the number of synaptic connections they can make with target interneurons in the tectum. Here, we describe a method to express DNA encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP), and gain- and loss-of-function gene constructs, in optic neurons (retinal ganglion cells) in Xenopus embryos. We explain how to microinject a combined DNA/lipofection reagent into eyebuds of one day old embryos such that exogenous genes are expressed in single or small numbers of optic neurons. By tagging genes with GFP or co-injecting with a GFP plasmid, terminal axonal arbors of individual optic neurons with altered molecular signaling can be imaged directly in brains of intact, living Xenopus tadpoles several days later, and their morphology can be quantified. This protocol allows for determination of cell-autonomous molecular mechanisms that underlie the development of optic axon arborization in vivo.

Microinjection of DNA into Eyebuds in Xenopus laevis Embryos and Imaging of GFP Expressing Optic Axonal Arbors in Intact, Living Xenopus Tadpoles

This protocol aims to demonstrate how to microinject a DNA/DOTAP mixture into eyebuds of one day old Xenopus laevis embryos, and how to image and reconstruct individual green fluorescent protein (GFP) expressing optic axonal arbors in tectal midbrains of intact, living Xenopus tadpoles.

Microinjection do ADN em Eyebuds em embriões do laevis de Xenopus e imagem latente de GFP que expressa Arbors axonal óticos em girinos intact, vivendo de Xenopus

The primary visual projection of tadpoles of the aquatic frog Xenopus laevis serves as an excellent model system for studying mechanisms that regulate the ...

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis

Spontaneous intracellular calcium activity can be observed in a variety of cell types and is proposed to play critical roles in a variety of physiological processes. In particular, appropriate regulation of calcium activity patterns during embryogenesis is necessary for many aspects of vertebrate neural development, including proper neural tube closure, synaptogenesis, and neurotransmitter phenotype specification. While the observation that calcium activity patterns can differ in both frequency and amplitude suggests a compelling mechanism by which these fluxes might transmit encoded signals to downstream effectors and regulate gene expression, existing population-level approaches have lacked the precision necessary to further explore this possibility. Furthermore, these approaches limit studies of the role of cell-cell interactions by precluding the ability to assay the state of neuronal determination in the absence of cell-cell contact. Therefore, we have established an experimental workflow that pairs time-lapse calcium imaging of dissociated neuronal explants with a fluorescence in situ hybridization assay, allowing the unambiguous correlation of calcium activity pattern with molecular phenotype on a single-cell level. We were successfully able to use this approach to distinguish and characterize specific calcium activity patterns associated with differentiating neural cells and neural progenitor cells, respectively; beyond this, however, the experimental framework described in this article could be readily adapted to investigate correlations between any time-series activity profile and expression of a gene or genes of interest.

Fluorescent Calcium Imaging and Subsequent In Situ Hybridization for Neuronal Precursor Characterization in Xenopus laevis

We present a two-part protocol that combines fluorescent calcium imaging with in situ hybridization, allowing the experimenter to correlate patterns of calcium activity with gene expression profiles on a single-cell level.

Imagem fluorescente de cálcio e subsequente hibridização em Situ para caracterização do precursor neuronal em xenopus laevis

Spontaneous intracellular calcium activity can be observed in a variety of cell types and is proposed to play critical roles in a variety of physiological ...