Research Abstract |
We got many important results about the morphogenesis and cell differentiation using the amphibian embryos. (1) After the treatment of activin A on animal caps, we made subtraction methods to clone the neurogenesis-related genes. And we cloned and analyzed the new genes such as Xran, XHMG-2, XIRF-6, XFRP,XGS,XNLRR-1. (2) In vitro system, we succeeded to make the head structure and trunk-tail structures. These structures were made with sandwith methods, in which the activin-treated ectoderm was combined. Depend on the pre-culture time, the induced structures were different. (3) Some kinds of genes which were related with pronephros (kidney) formation were cloned and analyzed. These genes were Na-K-ATPase alpha-subunit, CIRP,XFKBP,and the expression patterns of these genes are examined. (4) Incorporations of activin, follistatin and vitellogenin were examined using the labeling of these substance with ^<125>I and gold colloid particles. (5) Treatment with high concentration of activin to animal cap induced the beating heart, and expressed many kinds of endodermal marker genes. (6) Vitellogenin receptor during oogenesis was also cloned and analyzed. Above these data were very important to understand the cell differentiation and morphogenesis at the molecular level during animal development.
|