Expression pattern of the frizzled 7 gene during zebrafish embryonic development.

We have identified a novel frizzled gene in zebrafish, (Danio rerio): frizzled 7, highly related to mouse, chick and Xenopus fz7. No maternal expression was detected. Zygotic transcription starts at the end of gastrulation anteriorly in the presumptive neurectoderm and in the presomitic mesoderm. During somitogenesis expression is detected in developing central nervous system, including forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain and spinal cord, the lateral mesoderm and the anterior part of the forming somites. The strong sequence conservation of fz7 to the mouse, chick and Xenopus counterparts is also true for their expression pattern.