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Concanavalin A Acts as a Factor in Establishing the Dorso‐Ventral Gradient in the Ventral Mesoderm of Newt Gastrula Embryos 1
Author(s) -
Diaz Maria R. M.,
Takahashi Tadashi C.,
Takeshima Kazuhito,
Takata Kenzo
Publication year - 1990
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 - 10.1111/j.1440-169x.1990.00117.x
Subject(s) - mesoderm , gastrulation , ectoderm , fgf and mesoderm formation , paraxial mesoderm , biology , nodal , microbiology and biotechnology , embryogenesis , embryo , anatomy , embryonic stem cell , genetics , gene
Con A induced dorsal differentiation in the ventral mesoderm of Cynops gastrula embryo. This process apparently requires a certain amount of Con A to be internalized as supported by the following evidence: 1) Oligomannose‐type oligosaccharide, a potent inhibitor of Con A, considerably inhibited dorsalization of ventral mesoderm by Con A. The incorporation of 125 I‐Con A into the ventral mesoderm was greatly inhibited by this sugar. 2) Sepharose‐immobilized Con A did not dorsalize the ventral mesoderm. Con A‐induced dorsalization was found to be concentration‐dependent. Microautoradiograms of 125 I‐Con A‐treated ventral mesoderm suggest that the target site (some receptor molecules) of Con A exists inside the cell. Con A is the first pure substance reported to mimic the two properties of the organizer—neural induction of the competent ectoderm and dorsalization of the ventral mesoderm. In neural induction, Con A acts on the cell surface, while Con A apparently needs to be internalized to trigger dorsal differentiation. Interestingly, Con A‐dorsalized ventral mesoderm acquired the neural inducing function of the organizer within the early phase of dorsalization.