Department of Biological Sciences, Laboratory of Developmental Biology and BioImaging Technology, University of Cyprus, CY 1678, Nicosia, Cyprus.
Mech Dev. 2009 Oct;126(10):828-41. doi: 10.1016/j.mod.2009.07.008. Epub 2009 Jul 30.
Mesoderm migration is a well studied morphogenetic movement that takes place during Xenopus gastrulation. The study of mesoderm migration and other morphogenetic movements has been primarily based on in vitro assays due to the inability to image deep tissue movements in the opaque embryo. We are the first to report the use of Near Infra Red Quantum Dots (NIR QD's) to image mesoderm migration in vivo with single cell resolution and provide quantitative in vivo data regarding migration rates. In addition we use QD's to address the function of the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in this movement. Inhibition of FAK blocks mesoderm spreading and migration both in vitro and in vivo without affecting convergent extension highlighting the molecular differences between the two movements. These results provide new insights about the role of FAK and of focal adhesions during gastrulation and provide a new tool for the study of morphogenesis in vivo.
中胚层迁移是在非洲爪蟾原肠胚形成过程中发生的一种研究得很好的形态发生运动。由于无法对不透明胚胎中的深层组织运动进行成像，因此中胚层迁移和其他形态发生运动的研究主要基于体外测定。我们是第一个报告使用近红外量子点（NIRQD）以单细胞分辨率对体内中胚层迁移进行成像并提供有关迁移率的定量体内数据的人。此外，我们还使用 QD 来解决在这个运动中粘着斑激酶（FAK）的功能。FAK 的抑制作用既阻止了体外也阻止了体内中胚层的扩散和迁移，而不会影响会聚延伸，这突出了这两个运动之间的分子差异。这些结果提供了关于 FAK 和粘着斑在原肠胚形成过程中的作用的新见解，并为体内形态发生的研究提供了新的工具。
