BSDB Poster Tim Fulton.pdf (9.62 MB)
Self-organised symmetry breaking in zebrafish reveals feedback from morphogenesis to pattern formation
poster
posted on 2020-03-17, 09:58 authored by Timothy FultonTimothy Fulton, Vikas TrivediVikas Trivedi, Andrea Attardi, Kerim Anlas, Chaitanya Dingare, Alfonso Martinez Arias, Benjamin SteventonA fundamental question in developmental biology is how the early embryo breaks initial
symmetry to establish the spatial coordinate system later important for the organisation of
the embryonic body plan. In zebrafish, this depends on the inheritance of maternal
mRNAs, cortical rotation to generate a dorsal pole of beta-catenin activity, and the
release of Nodal signals from the yolk syncytial layer. How robust this mechanism is to
alteration in the spatial positioning of embryonic cells in unknown. To investigate this,
embryonic cells were explanted at the 256 cell stage and cultured in a minimal medium.
Despite extensive cell mixing, they elongate, form distinct germ layers and an organiser-like domain with spatially organised neural tissue. This elongation has been shown to be
the driving force which separates the anterior BMP from the posterior Wnt/TCF activity
domain. Blocking of PCP-dependent convergence and extension disrupts this separation
of the opposing domains and therefore prevents proper anterior posterior patterning of
neural tissues. These results together suggest that morphogenesis plays a causal role in
the establishment of morphogen gradients and pattern formation during zebrafish
gastrulation.
Funding
Gene Expression Heterogeneity in the Maintenance and Coordinated Differentiation of Neuromesodermal Progenitors in vivo.
Wellcome Trust
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