In vitro development of isolated ectoderm from axolotl gastrulae.

The development of ectoderm isolated from the animal pole of axolotl gastrulae is monitored by light microscopy, electron microscopy and analysis of newly synthesized proteins, glycoproteins and glycolipids. When control embryos are undergoing neurulation it is shown that the explants autonomously begin to express epidermal markers and do not express mesodermal markers. However the results suggest that not all the cells become epidermal and electron microscope examination shows that only the outer layer does so, the inner cells remaining undifferentiated.