Abstract
The blastocoelic roof of Xenopus eggs at the blastula stage is composed of a few layers of ectodermal cells fated to develop into epidermis and neural tissues during normal development. However, isolated animal caps from blastulae show pluripotency until the early gastrula stage. These isolated animal caps are cultured in a saline solution containing the inducing factor to be investigated, and the induced tissues are analyzed. Without the inducing factor, the animal caps develop into atypical epidermis. Animal cap cells are fated to develop into epidermis and neural tissues in normal development. However, isolated animal cap cells possess pluripotency, and various tissues are induced when animal caps are treated with activin A. Different concentrations of activin A trigger different gene cascades to initiate the differentiation of animal cap cells into different organ stem cells. The Xenopus animal cap is a useful tool, as the Xenopus pluripotential stem cells can be used to study embryonic development and differentiation, and to further the field of tissue engineering.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Embryonic |
| Publisher | Elsevier Inc. |
| Pages | 483-492 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Volume | 1 |
| ISBN (Electronic) | 9780080533735 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9780124366435 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 14 Sep 2004 |
| Externally published | Yes |