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Updated: May 12, 2026
Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients
Published on: December 14, 2015
Characterization of CXC-type chemokine molecules in early Xenopus laevis development
Toshiyasu Goto1, Tatsuo Michiue, Yuzuru Ito
1Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Medical Research Institute and School of Biomedical Science, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Abstract:
Chemokine molecules play important roles in the immune system. However, several chemokine molecules are expressed during early development before the immune system is established. Using reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and overexpression of chemokine molecules, we identified and characterized Xenopus laevis CXC-type chemokine ligands (XCXCL13L1, XCXCL13L2, XCXCLa, XCXCLb, XCXCLd, and XCXCLe) and receptors (XCXCR1/2, XCXCR3, XCXCR5, XCXCR6, and XCXCRa) during early development. The CXC-type ligands have low identity with genes for human CXC ligands (CXCL). With the exception of XCXCRa, the CXC receptors (CXCR) identified in the present study had high (40%65%) identity with human CXCR genes. Although the expression patterns for the CXCL and CXCR genes differed, transcript levels for all genes were very low during early embryogenesis. Overexpression of XCXCL13L1, XCXCL13L2, XCXCLa, XCXCR3, XCXCR6, and XCXCRa interfered with gastrulation and neural fold closure. The results of the present study suggest that several chemokine molecules are related to cell movements during early morphogenesis.
