Chapter 36 Using Inhibitors to Study Embryogenesis

Abstract

Publisher Summary A common approach for studying developmental processes is to physiologically perturb the system, at precise developmental stages, and identify the earliest developmental deviation from controls. The obvious choices for such perturbances are genetic mutations, because they block the function of a single gene product. Alternate approaches include the introduction of pharmacological inhibitors, specific antibodies, or antisense nucleic acids into the embryo at specific times. This chapter focuses on the use of inhibitors to study embryogenesis. Two methods are used to introduce foreign substances into Drosophila embryos: microinjection and permeabilization. The chapter discusses three areas in which inhibitors continue to be useful in Drosophila cell biological studies. These are (1) blocking specific enzymes or cytoskeletal components; (2) determining turnover rates of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and proteins; and (3) assessing the significance of generic functions in the progression of development. Because many inhibitors affect general cell functions, they can be used to test whether there are critical periods in development that are particularly sensitive to perturbations in these functions.