Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Reporter Genes02:11

Reporter Genes

12.6K
Reporter genes are a type of protein-coding gene that are often tagged to a gene of interest. Once inside a target cell, reporter genes usually produce visually identifiable characteristics like fluorescence and luminescence when expressed along with the gene of interest. Thus, reporter genes “report” the presence or absence of genes of interest in an organism, determine the gene expression pattern, or track the physical location of a DNA segment or protein in the cell.
12.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

HIF-1α-mediated feedback prevents TOR signalling from depleting oxygen supply and triggering stress during normal development.

Nature communications·2025
Same author

Interplay of actin nematodynamics and anisotropic tension controls endothelial mechanics.

Nature physics·2025
Same author

Intelligent soft matter: towards embodied intelligence.

Soft matter·2025
Same author

Automated Speech Analysis for Risk Detection of Depression, Anxiety, Insomnia, and Fatigue: Algorithm Development and Validation Study.

Journal of medical Internet research·2024
Same author

Particle entity in the Doi-Peliti and response field formalisms.

Journal of physics. A, Mathematical and theoretical·2023
Same author

Active morphogenesis of patterned epithelial shells.

eLife·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 5, 2025

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients
08:10

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients

Published on: December 14, 2015

11.7K

Patterning and growth control in vivo by an engineered GFP gradient.

Kristina S Stapornwongkul1, Marc de Gennes1, Luca Cocconi1,2

  • 1The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|October 16, 2020
PubMed
Summary

Scientists engineered a synthetic morphogen using green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Drosophila. This system demonstrates minimal requirements for morphogen gradient formation and patterning, offering insights into developmental biology.

More Related Videos

3D Analysis of Multi-cellular Responses to Chemoattractant Gradients
05:57

3D Analysis of Multi-cellular Responses to Chemoattractant Gradients

Published on: May 24, 2019

6.9K
Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development
09:32

Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development

Published on: June 15, 2017

9.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Dec 5, 2025

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients
08:10

Using Confocal Analysis of Xenopus laevis to Investigate Modulators of Wnt and Shh Morphogen Gradients

Published on: December 14, 2015

11.7K
3D Analysis of Multi-cellular Responses to Chemoattractant Gradients
05:57

3D Analysis of Multi-cellular Responses to Chemoattractant Gradients

Published on: May 24, 2019

6.9K
Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development
09:32

Light-mediated Reversible Modulation of the Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Pathway during Cell Differentiation and Xenopus Embryonic Development

Published on: June 15, 2017

9.0K

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Biology
  • Synthetic Biology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Morphogen gradients are crucial for providing positional information during embryonic development.
  • Understanding the minimal requirements for morphogen gradient formation is essential for developmental biology research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To engineer a synthetic morphogen system in Drosophila to determine the minimal requirements for gradient formation.
  • To investigate the role of trapping and receptor engineering in modulating morphogen gradients.

Main Methods:

  • Engineered a synthetic morphogen using green fluorescent protein (GFP) in Drosophila wing primordia.
  • Utilized surface-associated anti-GFP nanobodies to trap GFP and limit tissue leakage.
  • Fused anti-GFP nanobodies to Dpp receptors to create GFP-responsive signaling.

Main Results:

  • Demonstrated that GFP can form a detectable diffusion-based gradient with anti-GFP nanobodies.
  • Showed that engineered GFP can replace the natural morphogen Dpp to organize patterning and growth.
  • Observed improved patterning to near-wild-type quality with the addition of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored nonsignaling receptors.

Conclusions:

  • Established a synthetic system revealing minimal requirements for morphogen gradient formation.
  • Highlighted the importance of trapping mechanisms and receptor engineering for synthetic morphogen activity.
  • Suggested GPI-anchorage is key for expanding gradient length scales and reducing leakage in developmental patterning.