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Gap junctional communication in the early Xenopus embryo.

Y Landesman1, D A Goodenough, D L Paul

  • 1Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.

The Journal of Cell Biology
|August 23, 2000
PubMed
Summary
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Whole-mount imaging of Xenopus embryos is unreliable for assessing gap junction communication. Rigorous sectioning reveals no dye transfer asymmetry, challenging models of dorso-ventral patterning.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental biology
  • Cellular biology
  • Xenopus embryology

Background:

  • Gap junctions facilitate intercellular communication in Xenopus embryos.
  • Previous studies suggested asymmetric junctional communication influencing embryonic patterning.
  • Lucifer yellow (LY) has been used to investigate this communication.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically compare dye transfer of Lucifer yellow (LY) and neurobiotin in Xenopus embryos.
  • To rigorously assess the reliability of whole-mount imaging versus sectioned specimens for evaluating gap junctional communication.
  • To investigate the role of gap junctional communication in Xenopus dorso-ventral patterning.

Main Methods:

  • Coinjection of gap junction-permeable tracers (LY or neurobiotin) with impermeant fluorescent dextrans into Xenopus embryos (16-128 cells).

Related Experiment Videos

  • Comparison of dye transfer in whole-mount embryos versus fixed and sectioned embryos.
  • Assessment of communication patterns after experimental manipulation of embryonic polarity (UV irradiation for ventralization, Xwnt-8 for dorsalization).

    • Main Results:

    • Lucifer yellow (LY) transfer observed in whole-mounts was an artifact of light scattering and pigmentation, not actual intercellular communication.
    • No LY transfer was detected in fixed and sectioned embryos.
    • Neurobiotin consistently transferred between blastomeres in both dorsal and ventral regions without apparent asymmetry.
    • Experimental alterations in embryonic polarity did not affect neurobiotin transfer patterns.

    Conclusions:

    • Whole-mount imaging is an unreliable method for assessing gap junctional communication in Xenopus embryos.
    • Rigorous analysis using sectioned specimens is essential for accurate evaluation of intercellular communication.
    • Current models suggesting a role for gap junctional communication in Xenopus dorso-ventral patterning are not supported by these findings.