Germ layer formation during Xenopus embryogenesis: the balance between pluripotency and differentiation  

作　　者：CAO Ying 

机构地区：[1]Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2015年第4期336-342,共7页中国科学（生命科学英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(2011CB943804,2014CB964701);the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31271544,31261160492)to Cao Ying

摘　　要：The African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, has long been a model animal for the studies in the fields of animal cloning, developmental biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology. With the aid of Xenopus, major molecular mechanisms that are involved in embryonic development have been understood. Germ layer formation is the first event of embryonic cellular differentiation, which is induced by a few key maternal factors and subsequently by zygotic signals. Meanwhile, another type of signals, the pluripotency factors in ES cells, which maintain the undifferentiated state, are also present during early embryonic cells. In this review, the functions of the pluripotency factors during Xenopus germ layer formation and the regulatory relationship between the signals that promote differentiation and pluripotency factors are discussed.The African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, has long been a model animal for the studies in the fields of animal cloning, developmental biology, biochemistry, cell biology, and physiology. With the aid of Xenopus, major molecular mechanisms that are involved in embryonic development have been understood. Germ layer formation is the first event of embryonic cellular differentiation, which is induced by a few key maternal factors and subsequently by zygotic signals. Meanwhile, another type of signals, the pluripotency factors in ES cells, which maintain the undifferentiated state, are also present during early embryonic cells. In this review, the functions of the pluripotency factors during Xenopus germ layer formation and the regulatory relationship between the signals that promote differentiation and pluripotency factors are discussed.

关 键 词：XENOPUS germ layer formation pluripotency factors ES cells 

分 类 号：Q954.4[生物学—动物学]