FGF signalling in the early specification of mesoderm in Xenopus

Analysis of FGF function in normal and no tail zebrafish embryos reveals separate mechanisms for formation of the trunk and the tail

To analyse the roles of FGF activity and brachyury during gastrulation we have directly compared the consequences of inhibition of FGF-receptor signalling with the phenotype of the zebrafish brachyury mutant, no tail (ntl). We show that expression of ntl is regulated by FGF and that inhibition of FGF receptor-signalling leads to complete loss of the trunk and tail. Since the ntl mutant lacks the tail and notochord but has an otherwise normal trunk, this demonstrates that trunk development is dependent upon an unidentified gene, or set of genes, referred to as no trunk (ntk) which is regulated by FGF. We propose a model to explain the FGF-dependent regulation of ntl and ntk that accounts for the above phenotypes. Consistent with this model, over-expression of eFGF led to suppression of anterior fates and development of trunk and tail derivatives only. In addition, widespread activation of convergence and extension movements resulted in the formation of multiple axis-like structures. Expression of eve1 and cad1 was also regulated by FGF activity, suggesting that during gastrulation FGF activity is normally restricted to the germ ring where these genes, and ntl, are expressed. Taken together these data suggest that the germ ring acts as a posteriorising centre during AP patterning, mediated by FGF activity in this tissue.

FGF is a prospective competence factor for early activin-type signals in Xenopus mesoderm induction

Normal pattern formation during embryonic development requires the regulation of cellular competence to respond to inductive signals. In the Xenopus blastula, vegetal cells release mesoderm-inducing factors but themselves become endoderm, suggesting that vegetal cells may be prevented from expressing mesodermal genes in response to the signals that they secrete. We show here that addition of low levels of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) induces the ectopic expression of the mesodermal markers Xbra, MyoD and muscle actin in vegetal explants, even though vegetal cells express low levels of the FGF receptor. Activin, a potent mesoderm-inducing agent in explanted ectoderm (animal explants), does not induce ectopic expression of these markers in vegetal explants. However, activin-type signaling is present in vegetal cells, since the vegetal expression of Mix.1 and goosecoid is inhibited by the truncated activin receptor. These results, together with the observation that FGF is required for mesoderm induction by activin, support our proposal that a maternal FGF acts at the equator as a competence factor, permitting equatorial cells to express mesoderm in response to an activin-type signal. The overlap of FGF and activin-type signaling is proposed to restrict mesoderm to the equatorial region.

A nodal-related gene defines a physical and functional domain within the Spemann organizer

A functional screen for gene products that rescue dorsal development in ventralized Xenopus embryos has yielded Xenopus nodal-related 3 (Xnr3), a diverged member of the TGF beta superfamily. Xnr3 is specifically expressed in the Spemann organizer and is only expressed in the epithelial layer of the organizer immediately preceding and extending through gastrulation. Like noggin, Xnr3 can induce muscle in ventral mesoderm explants, consistent with a role in patterning the gastrula. In other ways, the activity of Xnr3 is different from noggin. Embryos receiving injections of Xnr3, particularly in the animal pole, send out tube-like extensions of tissue from the site of injection. These protrusions usually contain no axial mesoderm and only occasionally are positive for neural markers. It has previously been proposed that the epithelial layer of the organizer initiates and coordinates the morphogenetic movements at gastrulation. The protrusions observed may reflect an activity of Xnr3 in promoting morphogenesis.

Mesoderm induction in Xenopus caused by activation of MAP kinase

Mesoderm induction is a critical early step in vertebrate development, involving changes in gene expression and morphogenesis. In Xenopus, normal mesoderm formation depends on signalling through the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) tyrosine kinase receptor. One important signalling pathway from receptor tyrosine kinases involves p21ras (ref. 5). Ras associates with the serine kinase c-Raf-1 in a GTP-dependent manner, and this complex phosphorylates and activates MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK), a protein kinase with dual specificity. MEK then activates p42mapk and (at least in mammals) p44mapk, members of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase family. FGF activates MAP kinase during mesoderm induction, and the use of dominant-negative constructs suggests that mesoderm induction by FGF requires both Ras and Raf. However, these experiments do not reveal whether Ras and Raf do act through MAP kinase to induce mesoderm or whether another pathway, such as the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase cascade, is involved. Here we show that expression of active forms of MEK or of MAP kinase induces ventral mesoderm of the kind elicited by FGF. Overexpression of a Xenopus MAP kinase phosphatase blocks mesoderm induction by FGF, and causes characteristic defects in mesoderm formation in intact embryos, whereas inhibition of the P13 kinase and p70 S6 kinase pathways has no effect on mesoderm induction by FGF. FGF induces different types of mesoderm in a dose-dependent manner; strikingly, this is mimicked by expressing different levels of activated MEK. Together, these experiments demonstrate that activation of MAP kinases is necessary and sufficient for mesoderm formation.

The expression pattern of Xenopus Mox-2 implies a role in initial mesodermal differentiation

We have isolated a Xenopus homolog of the murine Mox-2 gene. As is the case for the mouse homolog, mesoderm specific expression of Xenopus Mox-2 (X. Mox-2) expression begins during gastrulation. Using whole mount in situ hybridization, we show that X. Mox-2 is expressed in undifferentiated dorsal, lateral and ventral mesoderm in the posterior of neurula/tailbud embryos, with expression more anteriorly detected in the dermatomes. In the tailbud tadpole, X. Mox-2 is expressed in tissues of the tailbud itself that represent a site of continued gastrulation-like processes resulting in mesoderm formation. X. Mox-2 is not expressed in the marginal zone of blastula, nor in the dorsal lip of gastrula, nor midline tissues (i.e. prospective notochord). Treatments that affect mesodermal patterning during embryonic development, including LiCl and ultraviolet light, and injection of mRNAs encoding BMP-4, or dominant negative activin and FGF receptors, produce changes in X. Mox-2 expression consistent with the types of tissues affected by these manipulations. X. Mox-2 expression is induced more in animal caps treated with FGF than those treated with activin. Together with the fact that X. Mox-2 activation in animal caps requires protein synthesis, our data suggest that X. Mox-2 is involved in initial mesodermal differentiation, downstream of molecules affecting mesoderm induction and determination such as Brachyury and goosecoid, and upstream of factors controlling terminal differentiation such as MyoD and myf5. X. Mox-2, therefore, is another useful marker for understanding the formation of mesoderm in amphibian development.

Molecular cloning of tyrosine kinases in the early Xenopus embryo: identification of Eck-related genes expressed in cranial neural crest cells of the second (hyoid) arch

Growth factors and their receptors play an important role in controlling cellular proliferation, migration, and differentiation during vertebrate embryogenesis. We have used the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction to survey the repertoire of receptor tyrosine kinases (TK) expressed during early embryogenesis of Xenopus laevis. Twelve distinct Xenopus TK cDNA classes were identified among a total of 352 cDNAs screened. A single TK cDNA class has been described previously and encodes the fibroblast growth factor receptor FGFR-A1. The remaining 11 TK cDNA classes appear to encode novel genes of the FGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), Eph, Csk, Tyk2, and Klg subfamilies. By RNase protection assays, Xenopus TK mRNAs are rare transcripts (< 10(7) mRNA molecules/embryo), and are usually found to be expressed also maternally in the embryo. Most Xenopus TK genes examined by whole-mount in situ hybridization were expressed widely in tissues derived from multiple germ layers. Two Eck-related genes, however, were found to be restricted in their expression to neural crest of the second (hyoid) arch. Our findings are consistent with the proposed function of TKs in the regulation of specification and differentiation of embryonic tissues.

Linkage of cardiac left-right asymmetry and dorsal-anterior development in Xenopus

The left-right body axis is defined relative to the dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior body axes. Since left-right asymmetries are not randomly oriented with respect to dorsal-ventral and anterior-posterior spatial patterns, it is possible that a common mechanism determines all three axes in a coordinate manner. Two approaches were undertaken to determine whether alteration in dorsal-anterior development perturbs the left-right orientation of heart looping. Treatments known to decrease dorsal-anterior development in Xenopus laevis, UV irradiation during the first cell cycle or Xwnt-8 DNA injections into dorsal blastomeres, caused an increase in cardiac left-right reversals. The frequency of left-right reversal was correlated with the severity of dorsal-anterior perturbation and with the extent of anterior notochord regression. Injection of Xwnt-8 DNA into dorsal midline cells resulted in decreased dorsal-anterior development and a correlated increase in cardiac left-right reversals. In contrast, injection of Xwnt-8 DNA into cardiac progenitor blastomeres did not result in left-right reversals, and dorsal-anterior development and notochord formation were normal. Disrupting development of dorsal-anterior cells, including cells that give rise to the Organizer region and the notochord, results in the randomization of cardiac left-right asymmetry. These results suggest dorsal-anterior development and the regulation of left-right orientation are linked.

The SH2-containing protein-tyrosine phosphatase SH-PTP2 is required upstream of MAP kinase for early Xenopus development

SH-PTP2, the vertebrate homolog of Drosophila corkscrew, associates with several activated growth factor receptors, but its biological function is unknown. We assayed the effects of injection of wild-type and mutant SH-PTP2 RNAs on Xenopus embryogenesis. An internal phosphatase domain deletion (delta P) acts as a dominant negative mutant, causing severe posterior truncations. This phenotype is rescued by SH-PTP2, but not by the closely related SH-PTP1. In ectodermal explants, delta P blocks fibroblast growth factor (FGF)- and activin-mediated induction of mesoderm and FGF-induced mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation. Our results indicate that SH-PTP2 is required for early vertebrate development, acting as a positive component in FGF signaling downstream of the FGF receptor and upstream of MAP kinase.

The mouse Fgf8 gene encodes a family of polypeptides and is expressed in regions that direct outgrowth and patterning in the developing embryo

Evidence is accumulating that members of the FGF gene family provide signals that act locally to regulate growth and patterning in vertebrate embryos. In this report, we provide a detailed analysis of the mouse Fgf8 gene. We have mapped the Fgf8 locus to the distal region of mouse chromosome 19, and sequenced the 5′ coding region of the gene. Our data identify a new coding exon, and locate multiple splice donor and splice acceptor sites that can be used to produce at least seven transcripts encoding a family of secreted FGF8 proteins with different N termini. From these results, it appears that Fgf8 is structurally the most complex member of the FGF family described to date. In the embryo, many of the regions in which Fgf8 RNA is localized are known to direct outgrowth and patterning, including the apical ectodermal ridge of the limb bud, the primitive streak and tail bud, the surface ectoderm overlying the facial primorida and the midbrain-hindbrain junction, suggesting that FGF8 may be a component of the regulatory signals that emanate from these regions.

RNA detection using non-radioactive in situ hybridization

Methods of non-radioactive in situ hybridization to RNA now enable the simultaneous detection of two RNAs in the same tissue. Sensitivity has been increased by several modifications, including the use of the polymerase chain reaction. Recently, in situ hybridization has been combined with lineage tracing to determine the origin of cells expressing a specific gene.

Cloning of cDNA and genomic DNA encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 of Xenopus laevis

We have isolated and characterized the cDNA and genomic DNA encoding fibroblast growth factor receptor-4 of Xenopus laevis (XFGFR-4). The gene encompassing the total coding sequence spans about 10 kb, consists of 17 exons, and has an organization very similar to those of mammalian genes encoding FGFR-1 and -2, except that the XFGFR-4 gene does not contain an alternative exon for the third immunoglobulin-like domain nor an internal poly(A)-addition site. Thus, XFGFR-4 appears not to generate multiple forms of mRNA, as are identified for the mammalian FGFR-1, -2 and -3 genes. The amino-acid sequence of XFGFR-4 shows high homology to other vertebrate FGFR-4 species, but the similarity was significantly lower than in the cases of FGFR-1 and -2. Northern blot analysis showed the XFGFR-4 mRNA to occur throughout X. laevis early embryogenesis in a profile different from those of X. laevis FGFR-1 and -2.

Mesoderm formation in response to Brachyury requires FGF signalling

BACKGROUND

The Brachyury (T) gene is required for the formation of posterior mesoderm and for axial development in both mouse and zebrafish embryos. In these species, and in Xenopus, the gene is expressed transiently throughout the presumptive mesoderm, and transcripts then persiste in notochord and posterior tissues. In Xenopus embryos, expression of the Xenopus homologue of Brachyury, Xbra, can be induced in presumptive ectoderm by basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and activin; in the absence of functional FGF or activin signalling pathways, expression of the gene is severely reduced. Ectopic expression of Xbra in presumptive ectoderm causes mesoderm to be formed. As Brachyury and its homologues encode sequence-specific DNA-binding proteins, it is likely that each functions by directly activating downstream mesoderm-specific genes.

RESULTS

We show that expression in Xenopus embryos of RNA encoding a dominant-negative FGF receptor inhibits the mesoderm-inducing activity of Xbra. We demonstrate that ectopic expression of Xbra activates transcription of the embryonic FGF gene, and that embryonic FGF can induce expression of Xbra. This suggests that the two genes are components of a regulatory loop. Consistent with this idea, dissociation of Xbra-expressing cells causes a dramatic and rapid reduction in levels of Xbra, but the reduction can be inhibited by addition of FGF.

CONCLUSION

Formation of mesoderm tissue requires an intact FGF signalling pathway downstream of Brachyury. This requirement is due to a regulatory loop, in which Brachyury activates expression of a member of the FGF family, and FGF maintains expression of Brachyury.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

fgfr-1 is required for embryonic growth and mesodermal patterning during mouse gastrulation

Experiments in amphibians have implicated fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) in the generation and patterning of mesoderm during embryogenesis. We have mutated the gene for fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (fgfr-1) in the mouse to genetically dissect the role of FGF signaling during development. In the absence of fgfr-1 signaling, embryos displayed early growth defects; however, they remained capable of gastrulating and generating mesoderm. The nascent mesoderm of fgfr-1 homozygous mutant embryos differentiated into diverse mesodermal subtypes, but mesodermal patterning was aberrant. Somites were never generated and axial mesoderm was greatly expanded at the expense of paraxial mesoderm. These results suggest that FGFR-1 transduces signals that specify mesodermal cell fates and regional patterning of the mesoderm during gastrulation.

Murine FGFR-1 is required for early postimplantation growth and axial organization

We have explored the role of fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR-1) in early embryonic development using three experimental systems: genetically deficient mice, in vitro blastocyst culture, and FGFR-1-deficient embryonic stem cells. Using these systems, we demonstrate that FGFR-1 is required for proper embryonic cell proliferation and for the correct axial organization of early postimplantation embryos but not for mesoderm formation. FGFR-1-deficient embryos display severe growth retardation both in vitro and in vivo and die prior to or during gastrulation. Although these mutants can form nonaxial tissues, such as the allantois, amnion, and yolk sac mesoderm, they display defective patterning of the primitive streak and other axial structures, and frequently exhibit truncations or disorganization of posterior embryonic regions. Such abnormalities are unlikely to be caused by intrinsic blocks in mesodermal differentiation, as FGFR-1-deficient ES cell lines form teratomas consisting of many mesodermal cell types.

Spatial and temporal expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) mRNA and protein in early Xenopus development

We have analyzed the expression pattern of bFGF (FGF-2) mRNA and protein in early Xenopus development using RNAse protections, in situ hybridization and immunocytochemical methods. We find that the maternal bFGF mRNA content is at its highest in the previtellogenic oocytes (stage I-II) but decreases during further oogenesis. This low maternal level persists into the early embryonic stages and is uniformly distributed on an RNA basis. Zygotic transcription is turned on both from anterior and posterior regions but not from the middle region in the mid-neurula stage, and the expression greatly increases during the late neurula and tailbud stages. In the tadpole stage, the expression is detected in the brain, eyes, ears and neural crest-derived mesenchyme of the head. Also, it is expressed along the mesodermal axis, the level falling as the myotomes differentiate. Immunocytochemical study shows abundant bFGF protein in early oocytes and much less in later oocytes. The localization is mainly to the nuclei of the early oocytes and to the cytoplasm of the later oocytes. Localization of maternal bFGF protein in the animal hemisphere is observed in the early embryonic stages and some reuptake into nuclei occurs by the early blastula stage. The zygotically synthesized protein starts to be expressed in the anterior region of the mid-neurula stage and soon also becomes detectable in the posterior region. By tailbud and pre-larval stages, this zygotic protein appears to be present along the entire neural and mesodermal axis. When these cases are sectioned it can be seen that bFGF protein is detected in most parts of the head. In the posterior domain, it is present in the mesoderm and clearly becomes localized in the muscle cells to the nuclei and to the cell termini adjoining the intermyotomal septa.

Identification of novel protein kinases expressed in the myocardium of the developing mouse heart

In Drosophila and Caenorhabditis, signal transduction pathways initiated by the activation of receptor-protein tyrosine kinases can mediate developmental fate decisions. In order to examine whether similar mechanisms are employed during mammalian embryogenesis, we undertook a search for novel protein kinases expressed during heart development in the mouse. The primitive mouse heart is formed between 7.75 and 8.5 days post coitum (dpc) and consists of myocardial and endocardial cells. A reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction-based approach was used to amplify protein kinase specific products from cDNAs obtained from 8.5 dpc heart tissue. Twenty independent PCR products corresponding to either protein serine/threonine or tyrosine kinases were identified. In this report, we describe the characterization of two of the genes corresponding to the novel PCR products (designated Hek2 and msk). Hek2 encodes the mouse ortholog of human HEK2, a recently identified member of the eph receptor-protein tyrosine kinase gene family. Prior to and at the time of heart formation (7.5-8.0 dpc), Hek2 is expressed in the cranial (rostral) region of the embryo from which a subpopulation of cells will give rise to the rudimentary heart. Between 8.0 and 9.5 dpc, Hek2 mRNA expression is observed in myocardial cells, head mesenchyme and paraxial mesoderm. Hek2 transcripts are not detected in endocardial cells. After 9.5 dpc, Hek2 expression is downregulated. msk (for myocardial SNF1-like kinase) encodes a putative protein serine/threonine kinase most similar to the yeast gene SNF1. msk mRNA expression is restricted to myocardial cells and their progenitors in the 7.75-8.5 dpc developing heart. Subsequently, msk mRNA expression is rapidly downregulated. The patterns of Hek2 and msk expression suggest that these protein kinases may function during development of the primitive heart.

Caudalization by the amphibian organizer: brachyury, convergent extension and retinoic acid

Caudalization, which is proposed to be one of two functions of the amphibian organizer, initiates posterior pathways of neural development in the dorsalized ectoderm. In the absence of caudalization, dorsalized ectoderm only expresses the most anterior (archencephalic) differentiation. In the presence of caudalization, dorsalized ectorderm develops various levels of posterior neural tissues, depending on the extent of caudalization. A series of induction experiments have shown that caudalization is mediated by convergent extension: cell motility that is based on directed cell intercalation, and is essential for the morphogenesis of posterior axial tissues. During amphibian development, convergent extension is first expressed all-over the mesoderm and, after mesoderm involution, it becomes localized to the posterior mid-dorsal mesoderm, which produces notochord. This expression pattern of specific down regulation of convergent extension is also followed by the expression of the brachyury homolog. Furthermore, mouse brachyury has been implicated in the regulation of tissue elongation on the one hand, and in the control of posterior differentiation on the other. These observations suggest that protein encoded by the brachyury homolog controls the expression of convergent extension in the mesoderm. The idea is fully corroborated by a genetic study of mouse brachyury, which demonstrates that the gene product produces elongation of the posterior embryonic axis. However, there exists evidence for the induction of posterior dorsal mesodermal tissues, if brachyury homolog protein is expressed in the ectoderm. In both cases the brachyury homolog contributes to caudalization. A number of other genes appear to be involved in caudalization. The most important of these is pintavallis, which contains a fork-head DNA binding domain. It is first expressed in the marginal zone. After mesoderm involution, it is present not only in the presumptive notochord, but also in the floor plate. This is in contrast to the brachyury homolog, whose expression is restricted to mesoderm. The morphogenetic effects of exogenous RA on anteroposterior specification during amphibian embryogenesis are reviewed. The agent inhibits archencephalic differentiation and enhances differentiation of deuterencephalic and trunk levels. Thus the effect of exogenous RA on morphogenesis of CNS is very similar to that of caudalization, which is proposed to occur through the normal action of the organizer. According to a detailed analysis of the effect of lithium on morphogenesis induced by the Cynops organizer, lithium has a caudalizing effect closely comparable with that of RA. Furthermore, lithium induces convergent extension in the prechordal plate, which normally does not show cell motility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Vertebrate embryonic induction: mesodermal and neural patterning

Within the fertilized egg lies the information necessary to generate a diversity of cell types in the precise pattern of tissues and organs that comprises the vertebrate body. Seminal embryological experiments established the importance of induction, or cell interactions, in the formation of embryonic tissues and provided a foundation for molecular studies. In recent years, secreted gene products capable of inducing or patterning embryonic tissues have been identified. Despite these advances, embryologists remain challenged by fundamental questions: What are the endogenous inducing molecules? How is the action of an inducer spatially and temporally restricted? How does a limited group of inducers give rise to diversity of tissues? In this review, the focus is on the induction and patterning of mesodermal and neural tissues in the frog Xenopus laevis, with an emphasis on families of secreted molecules that appear to underlie inductive events throughout vertebrate embryogenesis.

Role of fibroblast growth factors as inducing agents in early embryonic development

To assess the potential role of a molecule in development we need to know three things: 1) what are the biological activities of the molecule, 2) what is its expression pattern, and 3) what are the consequences of removing it from the embryo? In the case of the FGF family in Xenopus embryos we have quite a lot of information about all three questions. Most members of the family can induce mesoderm from isolated animal caps, thus mimicking the natural "ventral vegetal" inducing signal operative in the blastula. This activity can be exerted on isolated, disaggregated cells and does not involve a change in division rate. When overexpressed from injected mRNA, the activity of FGFs depends largely on whether or not they possess a signal sequence, showing the importance of secretion in the inductive process. In addition to the mesoderm-inducing activity, there are effects of overexpression on whole embryos which lead to a suppression of anterior structures. Three types of FGF have so far been cloned from Xenopus: direct homologs of each of the mammalian types FGF-2 and FGF-3, and eFGF ("embryonic FGF"), which is equidistant in sequence from mammalian FGF-4 and FGF-6. Attempts to find homologs of mammalian FGF-5 and FGF-7 in Xenopus have proved unsuccessful. All three types of Xenopus FGF are expressed in early development. FGF-2 and eFGF are present in the oocyte and fertilized egg, and are thus both available at the time of mesoderm induction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are required for mesoderm formation in Xenopus embryos

Mesoderm forms in the vertebrate embryo as a result of inductive interactions involving secreted growth factors and cell surface molecules. Proteoglycans have recently been implicated in the control of cell adhesion, migration and growth factor responsiveness. We have found that removal of glycosaminoglycan chains of proteoglycans from Xenopus ectodermal explants by heparinase, but not by chondroitinase, results in inhibition of elongation and mesodermal differentiation in response to signaling factors: activin, FGF and Wnt. Heparinase treatment differentially affected expression of early general and region-specific mesodermal markers, suggesting that mesodermal cell fates become specified in the early embryo via at least two signaling pathways which differ in their requirements for heparan sulfate proteoglycans. Addition of soluble heparan sulfate restored activin-mediated induction of muscle-specific actin gene in heparinase-treated explants. Finally, heparinase inhibited autonomous morphogenetic movements and mesodermal, but not neural, differentiation in dorsal marginal zone explants, which normally give rise to mesoderm in the embryo. These results directly demonstrate that heparan sulfate proteoglycans participate in gastrulation and mesoderm formation in the early embryo.

Expression and function of FGF-4 in peri-implantation development in mouse embryos

One of the earliest events in mammalian embryogenesis is the formation of the inner cell mass (ICM) and the subsequent delamination of primitive endoderm. We have found that mRNA for fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-4, but not FGF-3, is expressed in preimplantation mouse blastocysts and that the FGF-4 polypeptide is present in ICM cells. ICM-like embryonal carcinoma cells and embryonic stem cells also express FGF-4. Conversely, differentiated embryonal carcinoma cells in the endoderm lineage express FGF-3, but not FGF-4 mRNA. Although mouse embryos expressed FGF-4 mRNA from the 1-cell stage, embryos cultured from the 2-cell through the blastocyst stage in the presence of recombinant FGF-4 did not respond mitogenically. However, when ICMs that were isolated by immunosurgery were cultured with FGF-4, the number of morphologically distinct, differentiated parietal endoderm cells growing out onto the coverslip increased, without an increase in the number of undifferentiated ICM cells. ICM outgrowths cultured with FGF-4 increased their secretion of 92 × 10(3) M(r) gelatinase and tissue plasminogen activator, a hallmark of migrating cells. Receptors for FGF-4 (FGFR-3 and FGFR-4) are expressed in all cells of the mouse blastocyst. These findings indicate that FGF-4 produced by undifferentiated ICM cells acts in the peri-implantation period of embryogenesis to influence the production and behavior of endoderm cells derived from them.

Effect of an inhibitory mutant of the FGF receptor on mesoderm-derived alpha-smooth muscle actin-expressing cells in Xenopus embryo

Epithelial-mesenchymal interactions are of major importance during development to direct correct differentiation and morphogenesis of embryonic tissues. One subset of lateral mesoderm-derived mesenchymal cells will form the smooth muscle (SM) layer of the primary epithelial lining of hollow internal organs. It has been previously reported that the differentiation of SM cells in Xenopus laevis can be followed by the expression of alpha-SM actin. It was also shown that basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) had the ability to induce this actin isoform in isolated blastula animal caps. In this paper, by injection at the two-cell stage of mRNA encoding a truncated form of the FGF receptor which can act as a dominant negative inhibitor, we have analyzed the role of the FGF signaling pathway in the formation of the SM lineage. We have observed that mutated embryos presented significant delay in the differentiation of the SM cells compared to control embryos, demonstrating the importance of this signaling pathway for the formation of the lateral mesoderm-derived SM cells. Moreover, a correlation could be established between this delay and the dramatic defects observed in the morphogenesis of the intestine with which mesenchyme-derived SM cells are normally associated. This phenotype was efficiently rescued by coinjection of the wild-type FGF receptor. Our data suggest that the differentiation of SM cells at the correct time could be an essential event for the proper morphogenesis of the endoderm-derived digestive tract.

Neural induction in Xenopus

Although induction of neural tissue in vertebrates has been recognized since the experiments of Spemann and Mangold seventy years ago, only recently has the phenomenon been put onto a molecular footing. Three molecules, noggin, follistatin and fibroblast growth factor, have been shown to have neuralizing activity in various assays. These assays for neural induction and the molecular mechanisms for the action of neural inducers are reviewed here.

The expression of the receptor-protein tyrosine kinase gene, eck, is highly restricted during early mouse development

Cell-cell interactions during embryogenesis have been shown to be important for establishing developmental fates in a number of organisms such as Drosophila and Caenorhabditis. One class of genes shown to mediate this process are receptor-protein tyrosine kinases (R-PTKs). To examine whether R-PTKs might participate in similar mechanisms operating in the mammalian embryo, an important prerequisite is to show that these genes are expressed in spatial and temporal patterns consistent with such a role. Here, we analyze the expression of eck, a member of the eph family of R-PTKs, during gastrulation and early organogenesis by in situ hybridization. eck transcripts are first detected in gastrulation stage embryos (6.5-7.5 days post coitum (dpc)) in ectodermal cells adjacent to the distal region of the primitive streak. By the neural plate stage (approximately 7.5 dpc), eck expression becomes restricted to the extreme distal end or node of the primitive streak. After the beginning of somitogenesis (approximately 8.0 dpc), eck expression persists in the node as this structure regresses toward the caudal end of the embryo. In addition, beginning at the mid head fold stage (approximately 7.75 dpc), we observe that eck exhibits a dynamic and spatially restricted expression pattern in the prospective hindbrain region. eck transcripts are initially detected in a 5-cell wide strip of mesodermal cells underlying prospective rhombomere 4 (r4). Subsequently at the beginning of somitogenesis, eck mRNA expression is observed in prospective r4. At the 4--8-somite stage, eck transcripts are observed in r4, mesenchymal cells underlying r4, and surface ectoderm in the vicinity of the developing second branchial arch. By the 10-somite stage, eck mRNA expression in these cells is downregulated. Additionally, at the 5--8-somite stage, eck transcripts are detected initially in the lateral mesenchyme immediately underlying the surface ectoderm adjacent to r5 and r6, and subsequently in surface ectoderm overlying the developing third branchial arch. These data suggest that eck may be involved in cell-cell interactions guiding early hindbrain development.

A role for cytoplasmic determinants in mesoderm patterning: cell-autonomous activation of the goosecoid and Xwnt-8 genes along the dorsoventral axis of early Xenopus embryos

Although an induction event is required for the formation of mesoderm in Xenopus embryos, it is not clear that this induction is wholly sufficient to give rise to a correctly patterned mesodermal layer. We have studied the expression of the two genes, goosecoid and Xwnt-8, in Xenopus gastrulae in which cell-cell communication, and therefore mesoderm induction, has been prevented by frequent cell dispersion. Although neither the early panmesodermal marker Xbra nor the muscle-specific alpha-actin gene were activated under these conditions, goosecoid and Xwnt-8 were activated in cells of dorsal and ventrolateral origin respectively, thus correctly reflecting their distribution during normal development. We also show that the spatial pattern of expression of these two genes along the animal-vegetal axis is similar in normal and in dissociated early gastrulae: goosecoid is mainly expressed in future mesoderm while the domain of expression of Xwnt-8 spans the mesoderm-endoderm boundary. These results show that, during the blastula and early gastrula stages, gene activation can be controlled cell-autonomously along both the animal-vegetal and dorsoventral embryo axes. This suggests that the inheritance of localised maternal cytoplasmic determinants is a key event for the patterning of mesoderm. We present a modified model of mesoderm formation in which the different mesoderm cell types are produced as a result of cooperation between induction-dependent and induction-independent immediate-early genes.

Activin-mediated mesoderm induction requires FGF

The early patterning of mesoderm in the Xenopus embryo requires signals from several intercellular factors, including mesoderm-inducing agents that belong to the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and TGF-beta families. In animal hemisphere explants (animal caps), basic FGF and the TGF-beta family member activin are capable of converting pre-ectodermal cells to a mesodermal fate, although activin is much more effective at inducing dorsal and anterior mesoderm than is basic FGF. Using a dominant-negative form of the Xenopus type 1 FGF receptor, we show that an FGF signal is required for the full induction of mesoderm by activin. Animal caps isolated from embryos that have been injected with the truncated FGF receptor and cultured with activin do not extend and the induction of some genes, including cardiac actin and Xbra, is greatly diminished, while the induction of other genes, including the head organizer-specific genes gsc and Xlim-1, is less sensitive. These results are consistent with the phenotype of the truncated FGF receptor-injected embryo and imply that the activin induction of mesoderm depends on FGF, with some genes requiring a higher level of FGF signaling than others.

Mesoderm induction by activin requires FGF-mediated intracellular signals

We have examined the role of FGF signaling during activin-mediated mesoderm induction in Xenopus. Using dominant inhibitory mutants of FGF signal transducers to disrupt the FGF-signaling pathway at the plasma membrane or in the cytosol prevents animal cap blastomeres from expressing several mesodermal markers in response to exogenous activin. Dominant inhibitory mutants of the FGF receptor, c-ras or c-raf inhibit the ability of activin to induce molecular markers of both dorsal and ventral mesoderm including Xbra, Mix1 and Xnot. Some transcriptional responses to activin such as goosecoid and Xwnt8 are inhibited less effectively than others, however, suggesting that there may differing requirements for an FGF signal in the responses of mesoderm-specific genes to activin induction. Despite the requirement for this signaling pathway during activin induction, downstream components of this pathway are not activated in response to activin, suggesting that activin does not signal directly through this pathway.

Inducing factors in Xenopus early embryos

Recent results make it possible to postulate credible candidates for each of the known inducing signals that act to determine cell fate during Xenopus early development. Experiments on biological activity, expression patterns and inhibition of function suggest that Vg-1 and Wnt-11 may act as the primary mesoderm-inducing signals, FGF and activin may serve to relay their effects, and noggin may be a major component of the dorsalizing and neural-inducing signals from the organizer.

Neural induction by the secreted polypeptide noggin

The Spermann organizer induces neural tissue from dorsal ectoderm and dorsalizes lateral and ventral mesoderm in Xenopus. The secreted factor noggin, which is expressed in the organizer, can mimic the dorsalizing signal of the organizer. Data are presented showing that noggin directly induces neural tissue, that it induces neural tissue in the absence of dorsal mesoderm, and that it acts at the appropriate stage to be an endogenous neural inducing signal. Noggin induces cement glands and anterior brain markers, but not hindbrain or spinal cord markers. Thus, noggin has the expression pattern and activity expected of an endogenous neural inducer.

Ectopic expression of Fgf-4 in chimeric mouse embryos induces the expression of early markers of limb development in the lateral ridge

The biological consequences of constitutive fibroblast growth factor-4 (fgf-4) expression were investigated in chimeric embryos prepared between wild-type host embryos and murine ES cells transfected with a construct in which expression of the murine fgf-4 gene was directed by the phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK-1) promoter. The embryos exhibit abnormalities of the limbs and the anterior central nervous system (CNS). The limb phenotype comprised the induction of outgrowth along the lateral ridge between the definitive fore and hind limbs resembling the early phases of limb development. The CNS defects comprised a complete absence, or marked reduction in forebrain and midbrain structures and rudimentary or absent eye development. Constitutive expression of fgf-4 was also accompanied by ectopic expression of the sonic hedgehog (shh) and msx-1 genes in the lateral ridge. These findings indicate that FGF exhibits multiple activities in early development which include the ability to induce the expression of early markers of limb development in the lateral ridge.