An atlas of Wnt activity during embryogenesis in Xenopus tropicalis

Caroline Borday,Kris Vleminckx,Karine Parain,Muriel Perron,Hong Thi Tran,Anne H Monsoro-Burq,Michael Schubert

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0193606

Abstract

Wnt proteins form a family of highly conserved secreted molecules that are critical mediators of cell-cell signaling during embryogenesis. Partial data on Wnt activity in different tissues and at different stages have been reported in frog embryos. Our objective here is to provide a coherent and detailed description of Wnt activity throughout embryo development. Using a transgenic Xenopus tropicalis line carrying a Wnt-responsive reporter sequence, we depict the spatial and temporal dynamics of canonical Wnt activity during embryogenesis. We provide a comprehensive series of in situ hybridization in whole-mount embryos and in cross-sections, from gastrula to tadpole stages, with special focus on neural tube, retina and neural crest cell development. This collection of patterns will thus constitute a valuable resource for developmental biologists to picture the dynamics of Wnt activity during development.

Highlights

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a crucial role in cell proliferation, cell polarity and cell fate determination during vertebrate development [1]
A transgenic reporter line, in which gfp gene expression is driven by this synthetic promoter, was generated in the frog Xenopus tropicalis, allowing visualization of Wnt/β-catenin activity in vivo
Because a weak GFP fluorescence signal can be difficult to distinguish from the natural auto-fluorescence of the embryos, and to obtain a clear staining in tissue with low levels of expression, we used whole-mount in situ hybridization with a gfp antisense probe to detect the Wnt/β-catenin activity

Summary

Introduction

The Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays a crucial role in cell proliferation, cell polarity and cell fate determination during vertebrate development [1]. A transgenic reporter line, in which gfp gene expression is driven by this synthetic promoter, was generated in the frog Xenopus tropicalis, allowing visualization of Wnt/β-catenin activity in vivo.

Results

Conclusion