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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
11:13
Stem cell-like Xenopus Embryonic Explants to Study Early Neural Developmental Features In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: February 2, 2016
The opposing homeobox genes Goosecoid and Vent1/2 self-regulate Xenopus patterning
Veronika Sander1, Bruno Reversade, E M De Robertis
1Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biological Chemistry, University of California-Los Angeles, 675 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
The EMBO Journal
|May 26, 2007
Summary
Goosecoid (Gsc) and Vent1/2 genes in Xenopus are crucial for mesodermal patterning. Their depletion causes opposing gene upregulation, but removing all three rescues normal development, revealing a self-adjusting body plan mechanism.
Area of Science:
- Developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
- Embryology
Background:
- Goosecoid (Gsc) is an organizer-specific gene, while Vent1 and Vent2 are ventral genes.
- Gsc plays a role in mesodermal patterning during gastrulation in Xenopus, unlike in mice.
- Previous studies highlighted the role of Gsc in regulating downstream targets like Chordin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the loss-of-function effects of Goosecoid (Gsc), Vent1, and Vent2 genes using antisense morpholino (MO) reagents in Xenopus embryos.
- To elucidate the functional relationship between Gsc, Vent1, and Vent2 in embryonic development.
- To explore the potential self-adjusting mechanisms in embryonic body plan formation.
Main Methods:
- Loss-of-function study utilizing antisense morpholino (MO) reagents.
- Injection of MOs targeting Gsc, Vent1, and Vent2 into Xenopus embryos.
- Phenotypic analysis of embryological development, including head structure formation and tissue patterning.
Main Results:
- Depletion of Gsc caused reduction of head structures (e.g., cyclopia) and expansion of ventral tissues.
- Combined depletion of Vent1 and Vent2 led to strong dorsalization of embryos.
- Simultaneous depletion of Gsc, Vent1, and Vent2 resulted in a rescue of normal development, suggesting compensatory gene regulation.
Conclusions:
- Phenotypic effects of Gsc or Vent1/2 depletion are due to transcriptional upregulation of their opposing counterparts.
- Gsc and Vent1/2 homeobox genes may function in a self-adjusting mechanism to restore the body plan.
- The findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying genetic redundancy and embryonic patterning.
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