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Time‐lapse tracing of mitotic cell divisions in the early Xenopus embryo using microscopic MRI
Author(s) -
Papan Cyrus,
Boulat Benoit,
Velan S. Sendhil,
Fraser Scott E.,
Jacobs Russell E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
developmental dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.634
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1097-0177
pISSN - 1058-8388
DOI - 10.1002/dvdy.20947
Subject(s) - xenopus , biology , mitosis , blastomere , embryo , microbiology and biotechnology , cell division , cell fate determination , cell , anatomy , genetics , embryogenesis , gene , transcription factor
Mitotic cell division is a highly regulated cellular event in all organisms, but its direct visualization in the vertebrates is limited to animals with transparent embryos. Here, we report on the use of microscopic magnetic resonance imaging (mMRI) to noninvasively observe mitotic cell division of early blastomeres in the optically opaque Xenopus laevis embryo. Due to intrinsic tissue contrast, cell nuclei can be directly visualized without the need for contrast enhancing labeling. By taking two‐dimensional in vivo time‐lapse image sequences, the karyokinesis of a blastomere is followed. Timing and orientation of the cleavages can be traced for five cell divisions to establish a cell lineage tree, including orientation and timing of the mitosis. This work demonstrates for the first time the use of MRI for the visualization of cell divisions and expands the experimental scope of the Xenopus embryo. Developmental Dynamics 235:3059–3062, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.