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Updated: Jan 27, 2026

Dissection of Xenopus laevis Neural Crest for in vitro Explant Culture or in vivo Transplantation
Published on: March 4, 2014
Latrophilin2 is involved in neural crest cell migration and placode patterning in Xenopus laevis
Natsumi Yokote1, Marianna Y Suzuki-Kosaka, Tatsuo Michiue
1Stem Cell Project, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
Latrophilin2 (Lphn2) is an adhesion-class of G protein-coupled receptor with an unknown function in development. Here, we show that Xenopus laevis lphn2 (Xlphn2) is involved in the migration and differentiation of neural crest (NC) cells and placode patterning in Xenopus laevis embryos. Although Xlphn2 mRNA was detected throughout embryogenesis, it was expressed more abundantly in the placode region. Morpholino antisense oligonucleotide-mediated knockdown of Xlphn2 caused abnormal migration of NC cells, irregular epibranchial placode segmentation, and defective cartilage formation. Transplantation of fluorescently-labeled NC regions of wild-type embryos into Xlphn2 morpholino-injected embryos reproduced the defective NC cell migration, indicating that Xlphn2 regulates the migration of NC cells in a non-cell autonomous manner. Our results suggest that Xlphn2 is essential for placode patterning and as a guidance molecule for NC cells.
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