Volume 17, Number 18,
Issue of September 15, 1997
pp. 6892-6898
Copyright ©1997 Society for Neuroscience
Studies on the Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor Signaling in
Neurogenesis Using Conjugated/Aged Animal Caps and Dorsal
Ectoderm-Grafted Embryos
Received Jan. 28, 1997; revised June 9, 1997; accepted July 1, 1997.
Ren-He Xu1,
Jaebong Kim2,
Masanori Taira3,
Dvora Sredni4, and
Hsiang-fu Kung2
1 Intramural Research Support Program, Science
Applications International Corporation-Frederick, and
2 Laboratory of Biochemical Physiology, Division of Basic
Sciences, National Cancer Institute-Frederick Cancer Research and
Development Center, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, 3 Laboratory of Molecular Embryology, Department of
Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo,
Tokyo 113, Japan, and 4 Interdisciplinary Department,
Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel 52900
Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been shown to induce
neural fate in dissociated animal cap (AC) cells or in AC explants cultured in low calcium and magnesium concentrations. However, long-term disclosure of the cap may cause diffusion of the secreted molecule bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP-4), a neural inhibitor present in the AC. This may contribute to the subsequent neurogenesis induced by bFGF. Here we used conjugated and aged blastula AC to avoid
diffusion of endogenous molecules from the AC. Unlike noggin, bFGF
failed to induce neural tissue in this system. However, it enhanced
neuralization elicited by a dominant negative BMP receptor (DN-BR) that
inhibits the BMP-4 signaling. Posterior neural markers were turned on
by bFGF in AC expressing DN-BR or chordin. Blocking the endogenous FGF
signal with a dominant negative FGF receptor (XFD) mainly inhibited
development of posterior neural tissue in neuralized ACs. These
in vitro studies were confirmed in vivo
in embryos grafted with XFD-expressing ACs in the place of
neuroectoderm. Expression of some regional neural markers was inhibited, although markers for muscle and posterior notochord were
still detectable in the grafted embryos, suggesting that XFD
specifically affected neurogenesis but not the dorsal mesoderm. The use
of these in vitro and in vivo model
systems provides new evidence that FGF, although unable to initiate
neurogenesis on its own, is required for neural induction as well as
for posteriorization.
Key words:
FGF;
BMP;
neurogenesis;
anteroposterior patterning;
Xenopus;
embryo