Cyclops-independent floor plate differentiation in zebrafish embryos

Stéphanie Albert , Ferenc Müller , Nadine Fischer , Dominique Biellmann (1, 2) , Carl Neumann , Patrick Blader , Uwe Strähle

1 IGBMC - Institut de génétique et biologie moléculaire et cellulaire
2 IGBMC - Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire

In zebrafish, development of the ventral neural tube depends on the Nodal-related signal Cyclops (Cyc). One-day-old cyc mutant embryos lack the medial floor plate (MFP). We show here that cells expressing MFP marker genes differentiate gradually in cyc mutant embryos in a delayed manner during the second day of development. This late differentiation is restricted to the hindbrain and spinal cord and depends on an intact Hedgehog (Hh) signalling pathway. Cells expressing MFP marker genes in cyc mutant embryos appear to be derived from lateral floor plate (LFP) cells as they coexpress LFP and MFP marker genes. This finding suggests that the correct temporal development of the MFP is required for the distinction of LFP and MFP cells in wild-type embryos.

Domaines: Biologie du développement

Stéphanie Albert, Ferenc Müller, Nadine Fischer, Dominique Biellmann, Carl Neumann, et al.. Cyclops-independent floor plate differentiation in zebrafish embryos. Developmental Dynamics, 2003, 226 (1), pp.59-66. ⟨10.1002/dvdy.10211⟩. ⟨hal-04130438⟩