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Updated: Jun 25, 2026

Stem cell-like Xenopus Embryonic Explants to Study Early Neural Developmental Features In Vitro and In Vivo
Published on: February 2, 2016
Germ layer-specific interaction of ion channels and transporters controls membrane potential and left-right
Leonid Tyan1,2, Valentyna Kostiuk1, Nicholas Diab1
1Pediatric Genomic Discovery Program, Department of Pediatrics and Genetics, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA.
Abstract:
Emerging evidence indicates that ion channels and transporters are critical for normal embryonic development. They are essential for establishing membrane potential (Vm), a property of all cells. However, it is uncertain if embryos have germ-layer specific regional differences in electrical behavior that play a role in defining local cell fates. In our study, by manipulating ion concentrations and applying a wide spectrum of inhibitors, we demonstrate that various ion channels and transporters differentially determine Vm in specific germ layers of the Xenopus tropicalis embryo. Altering the electrical properties of the embryo leads to localized changes in cell fate and alterations in left-right patterning, which can lead to severe diseases, including heterotaxy and congenital heart disease. Our results indicate that the electrical properties of early embryonic cells are regionally specified and affect local cell fates.
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