PUBLICATION

Mechanisms of calcium signaling in zebrafish development

Authors
Slusarski, D.C., Hjertos, B., and Humbert, J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-021017-51
Date
2002
Source
Developmental Biology   247(2): 455 (Abstract)
Registered Authors
Hjertos, Beth Ellen, Humbert, Jasper, Slusarski, Diane C.
Keywords
none
MeSH Terms
none
PubMed
none
Abstract
In zebrafish, we have the unique capability of visualizing the spatial and temporal changes in cytoplasmic calcium in living cells of the intact embryo. We observe several dynamic and distinct phases of calcium release during zebrafish development. After fertilization, there are dramatic calcium increases associated with the forming cleavage furrow during the first few cell cycles. During early development, subsets of cells initiate rapid aperiodic calcium fluxes that persist until the midblastula transition stage. Additional calcium dynamics are observed in the marginal zone during gastrulation and during neural development. Each phase has a distinct pattern of calcium release, highlighting the complexity of Ca2 ion and cellular physiology. Modulation of calcium release during cleavage stage impacts axis formation and gastrulationspecific calcium release has been proposed to coordinate movements of populations of cells. The noncanonical Wnts (Wnt-5A and Wnt-11) modulate calcium release, and in loss of function mutations, we observe alterations in the subcellular localization of -catenin resulting in ectopic expression of -catenin target genes. Alterations of the distinctive calcium release events in several different mutant strains and in treated zebrafish embryos demonstrate that calcium release acts in part, through negative regulation of canonical Wnt signaling.
Genes / Markers
Figures
Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping