PUBLICATION

Nodal coordinates the anterior-posterior patterning of germ layers and induces head formation in zebrafish explants

Authors
Cheng, T., Xing, Y.Y., Liu, C., Li, Y.F., Huang, Y., Liu, X., Zhang, Y.J., Zhao, G.Q., Dong, Y., Fu, X.X., Tian, Y.M., Shu, L.P., Megason, S.G., Xu, P.F.
ID
ZDB-PUB-230406-46
Date
2023
Source
Cell Reports   42: 112351112351 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Megason, Sean, Shu, Li-Ping
Keywords
CP: Developmental biology, anterior-posterior patterning, explant, head formation, nodal, zebrafish
MeSH Terms
  • Animals
  • Body Patterning/genetics
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental
  • Mesoderm
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics
  • Zebrafish*/genetics
  • Zebrafish Proteins*/genetics
PubMed
37018074 Full text @ Cell Rep.
Abstract
Much progress has been made toward generating analogs of early embryos, such as gastruloids and embryoids, in vitro. However, methods for how to fully mimic the cell movements of gastrulation and coordinate germ-layer patterning to induce head formation are still lacking. Here, we show that a regional Nodal gradient applied to zebrafish animal pole explant can generate a structure that recapitulates the key cell movements of gastrulation. Using single-cell transcriptome and in situ hybridization analysis, we assess the dynamics of the cell fates and patterning of this structure. The mesendoderm differentiates into the anterior endoderm, prechordal plate, notochord, and tailbud-like cells along an anterior-posterior axis, and an anterior-posterior-patterned head-like structure (HLS) progressively forms during late gastrulation. Among 105 immediate Nodal targets, 14 genes contain axis-induction ability, and 5 of them induce a complete or partial head structure when overexpressed in the ventral side of zebrafish embryos.
Genes / Markers
Figures
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Expression
Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping