Click here to close
Hello! We notice that you are using Internet Explorer, which is not supported by Xenbase and may cause the site to display incorrectly.
We suggest using a current version of Chrome,
FireFox, or Safari.
???displayArticle.abstract???
We studied the expression of FGF receptor 3 (FGFR3) mRNA throughout early development of Xenopus laevis by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. RT-PCR shows that FGFR3 mRNA is localized within the gastrula; regionalized staining is detected by the neural plate stage and continues throughout embryonic development. Strong expression is seen in developing neural structures, especially in the forebrain and hindbrain, including the developing eyes, and in lateralmesoderm. Comparison of these data with previous reports of FGF expression in this species suggests possible FGF-FGFR3 interactions. The pattern of FGFR3 expression appears to be strongly conserved among vertebrate embryos.
Fig. 2. Expression of FGFR3 mRNA during development, by in situ hybridization. (a) Stage 11, (b and c) stage 14, (d–f) stage 19, (g–i) stage 23, (j and k) stage 27/28, (l and m) stage 33. (a) Oblique view, yolk plug is at lower left. (c, e, h, j and l) Lateral views, dorsal is up and anterior is to the left. (b, d, g, k and m) Dorsal views, anterior is to the left. (f) Anterior view, dorsal is up. (i) Dorsoanterior view.
Fig. 3. Vibratome sections of embryos stained by whole mount in situ hybridization with FGFR3 probe. (a and b) Sections through the level of the future hindbrain, at stage 14 (a) and 19 (b). (c–e) Sections through the trunk at stages 24 (c), 27 (d) and 40 (e). (f and g) Adjacent sections through the head of a stage 24 embryo, showing staining in the medial part of the optic vesicle and optic stalk. (h and i) Sections through the head of a stage 27 embryo, showing strong staining throughout the neural tube. The section in (i) is between the eyes and otic vesicles. Note the absence of staining in the roof plate of the neural tube. (j) Section through the head of a stage 33 embryo, showing staining in the ventricular surface of the neural tube, the medialeye, lens, and in the ventral part of the head. Arrow indicates cells in the ventralhead, near the cement gland. (k–m) Frontal sections through embryos at stages 19 (k), 24 (l), and 33 (m). Anterior is up in (k) and (l); anterior is to the right in (m). The section in (k) cuts through the neural tube as it curves around the anterior of the embryo (cf. Fig. 2e), the section in l cuts through the optic vesicles, and the section in m is ventral to the eyes, through the cement gland. abbreviations: ba, branchial arches; cg, cement gland; lm, lateralmesoderm; n, notochord; nt, neural tube; os, optic stalk; ov, optic vesicle; s, somite.
Fig. 1. RT-PCR analysis of FGFR3 expression in early embryos. (a) FGFR3 expression throughout early development. Embryos were collected at the stages indicated, RNA was isolated and reverse transcribed (5 embryos/sample), and expression levels of FGFR3 and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) were assayed by PCR (n = 2 experiments). (b) FGFR3 expression in isolated regions of early gastrula embryos. Embryos were dissected at st. 10.25 into animal cap (AC), dorsal marginal zone (DM), ventrolateral marginal zone (VLM), and endoderm (endo); tissue isolates were collected immediately for RNA isolation (15 isolates per sample). EF1α was used as a control for differences in yield (n = 3 experiments).
