Establishment of a transitory dorsal-biased window of localized Ca2+ signaling in the superficial epithelium following the mid-blastula transition in zebrafish embryos
Abstract
Using complementary luminescent- and fluorescent-based Ca(2+) imaging techniques, we have re-examined the Ca(2+) dynamics that occur during the Blastula Period (BP) of zebrafish development. We confirm that aperiodic, localized Ca(2+) transients are generated predominately in the superficial epithelial cells (SECs). At the start of the BP, these Ca(2+) transients are distributed homogeneously throughout the entire superficial epithelium. Following the mid-blastula transition (MBT), however, their distribution becomes asymmetrical, where a significantly greater number are generated in the presumptive dorsal quadrant of the superficial epithelium. This asymmetry in Ca(2+) signaling lasts for around 60 min, after which the total number of transients generated from the entire superficial epithelium falls to less than one per minute until the end of the BP. We have thus called this asymmetry the "dorsal-biased Ca(2+) signaling window". The application of pharmacological agents indicates that the post-MBT SEC Ca(2+) transients are generated via the phosphatidylinositol (PI) signaling pathway. This suggests that the previously reported ventralizing function attributed to the homogeneously distributed PI pathway-generated SEC Ca(2+) tr...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Cell Cycle Pathways
Cell cycle is a complex process regulated by several signal transduction pathways and enzymes. Here is the latest research on regulation of cell cycle and cell cycle pathways.
Calcium & Bioenergetics
Bioenergetic processes, including cellular respiration and photosynthesis, concern the transformation of energy by cells. Here is the latest research on the role of calcium in bioenergetics.