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High Resolution Whole Mount In Situ Hybridization within Zebrafish Embryos to Study Gene Expression and Function
Published on: October 20, 2013
Wnt5 is required for tail formation in the zebrafish embryo
G J Rauch1, M Hammerschmidt, P Blader
1Max-Planck-Institut für Entwicklungsbiologie, Tübingen, Germany.
Cold Spring Harbor Symposia on Quantitative Biology
|January 1, 1997
Summary
The zebrafish pipetail gene is Wnt5, crucial for tail development and head cartilage formation. Maternal Wnt5 expression shows no apparent role in early zebrafish development.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Biology
- Genetics
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Wnt signaling pathways regulate embryonic development.
- The Wnt gene family plays a role in pattern formation.
- Zebrafish wnt5 is involved in vertebrate development.
Purpose of the Study:
- Identify the zebrafish pipetail gene.
- Investigate the role of wnt5 in embryonic development.
- Determine the function of maternal wnt5.
Main Methods:
- Gene identification and characterization.
- Analysis of pipetail mutant phenotypes.
- Generation of homozygous pipetail females to assess maternal effects.
Main Results:
- The pipetail gene in zebrafish is identical to wnt5.
- Mutations in wnt5 cause defects in tail formation.
- Impaired maturation of head cartilage precursor cells observed.
- No maternal effect phenotype was detected in progeny from homozygous pipetail females.
Conclusions:
- Zebrafish wnt5 is essential for tail outgrowth and head cartilage differentiation.
- Maternal wnt5 expression does not appear to have a significant function in early development.
- The pipetail/wnt5 gene is critical for specific morphogenetic processes.
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