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The Na + , K + ‐ATPase α subunit requires gastrulation in the Xenopus embryo
Author(s) -
Uochi Takaaki,
Takahashi Shuji,
Ninomiya Hiromasa,
Fukui Akimasa,
Asashima Makoto
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
development, growth and differentiation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.864
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1440-169X
pISSN - 0012-1592
DOI - 10.1046/j.1440-169x.1997.t01-4-00004.x
Subject(s) - gastrulation , blastula , biology , embryo , microbiology and biotechnology , xenopus , blastocoel , embryogenesis , neural plate , neurula , neural tube , in situ hybridization , gene expression , biochemistry , gene
Na + , K + ‐ATPase participates in reabsorption of ions and water and produces an electrochemical gradient between the intra‐ and extracellular spaces across the cell membrane. It also plays an important role in many developmental phenomena such as a blastocoele formation and neural formation. To elucidate the expression pattern of Na + , K + ‐ATPase in the Xenopus embryo, the spatial expression patterns of the Na + , K + ‐ATPase α subunit were studied in a normal embryo by whole‐mount in situ hybridization. These transcripts were localized around the dorsal blastopore at the gastrula stage, in the neural tube at the neurula stage, and then in the pronephros and cloaca at the tail‐bud stage. To study the function of Na + , K + ‐ATPase in embryogenesis after mid‐blastula transition, the expression of the Na + , K + ‐ATPase α subunit was inhibited by the injection of specific antisense RNA. Embryos injected with Na + , K + ‐ATPase antisense RNA showed inhibition of gastrulation. When antisense RNA was injected into the dorsal blastomeres, head differentiation was markedly inhibited. These results suggest that this transcript plays an important role during gastrulation and head differentiation.