Misexpression of chick Vg1 in the marginal zone induces primitive streak formation

• Published in: Development (Cambridge) Vol. 124; no. 24; pp. 5127 - 5138
• Main Authors: Shah, S B, Skromne, I, Hume, C R, Kessler, D S, Lee, K J, Stern, C D, Dodd, J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England The Company of Biologists Limited 01.12.1997
• Subjects: Animals; Blastoderm - chemistry; Chick Embryo; Cloning, Molecular; COS Cells; Culture Techniques; Embryonic Induction; Gastrula - chemistry; Gastrula - physiology; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental - genetics; Glycoproteins - analysis; Glycoproteins - genetics; Glycoproteins - physiology; Recombinant Fusion Proteins; RNA, Messenger - analysis; Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid; Transforming Growth Factor beta; Xenopus; Xenopus Proteins
• ISSN: 0950-1991; 1477-9129
• DOI: 10.1242/dev.124.24.5127

In the chick embryo, the primitive streak is the first axial structure to develop. The initiation of primitive streak formation in the posterior area pellucida is influenced by the adjacent posterior marginal zone (PMZ). We show here that chick Vg1 (cVg1), a member of the TGFbeta family of signalling molecules whose homolog in Xenopus is implicated in mesoderm induction, is expressed in the PMZ of prestreak embryos. Ectopic expression of cVg1 protein in the marginal zone chick blastoderms directs the formation of a secondary primitive streak, which subsequently develops into an ectopic embryo. We have used cell marking techniques to show that cells that contribute to the ectopic primitive streak change fate, acquiring two distinct properties of primitive streak cells, defined by gene expression and cell movements. Furthermore, naive epiblast explants exposed to cVg1 protein in vitro acquire axial mesodermal properties. Together, these results show that cVg1 can mediate ectopic axis formation in the chick by inducing new cell fates and they permit the analysis of distinct events that occur during primitive streak formation.