Vertebrate Embryogenesis

One of the striking findings of modern developmental biology has been the high degree of conservation of signaling and developmental mechanisms amongst different animal species. Such conservation allows information learned from a given organism to be applicable to other species, including humans, and has validated the use of a few model systems to deduce general biological principles. In spite of this underlying conservation, however, each species has unique characteristics arising from its evolutionary history. Vertebrate Embryogenesis: Embryological, Cellular and Genetic Methods attempts to address the increasingly important need of straddling species boundaries in the context of a single research program by compiling research protocols used in a wide range of vertebrate species. In fact, this volume has been designed so that readers can readily find information on species other than the one with which they may be most familiar. These protocols include not only embryological methods, but also cellular and genetic approaches that have complemented and expanded our understanding of embryonic development. In addition, a number of chapters highlight a specific method that is in principle applicable to multiple species, such as TILLING and ZFN-mediated mutagenesis, the generation of Embryonic Stem (ES) cell lines, and nuclear/oocyte transfer. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters contain introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and accessible, Vertebrate Embryogenesis: Embryological, Cellular and Genetic Methods serves as an ideal guide to the molecular, cell, and developmental biology community and will hopefullycontribute to the ongoing collective effort towards a better understanding of the beauty and logic of vertebrate development.

Includes cutting-edge methods and protocols Provides step-by-step detail essential for reproducible results Contains key notes and implementation advice from the experts Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt

Approaches and Species in the History of Vertebrate Embryology.- Manipulating and Imaging the Early Xenopus laevis Embryo.- Manipulation of Gene Function in Xenopus laevis.- Developmental Genetics in Xenopus tropicalis.- Embryological and Genetic Manipulation of Chick Development.- Embryological Manipulations in Zebrafish.- Practical Approaches for Implementing Forward Genetic Strategies in Zebrafish.- Essential Techniques for Introducing Medaka to a Zebrafish Laboratory - Toward the Combined Use of Medaka and Zebrafish for Further Genetic Dissection of the Function of the Vertebrate Genome.- Ex-utero Culture and Imaging of Mouse Embryos.- Detection of Gene Expression in Mouse Embryos and Tissue Sections.- Gene Targeting in the Mouse.- Creating a Hopeful Monster: Mouse Forward Genetic Screens.- Assisted Reproductive Technology in Nonhuman Primates.- Embryological Methods in Ascidians: the Villefranche-sur-Mer Protocols.- Ciona Genetics.- Analyses of Gene Function in Amphioxus Embryos by Microinjection of mRNAs and Morpholino-oligonucleotides.- Reptile Embryology.- Reproductive and Developmental Manipulation of the Marsupial, the Tammar Wallaby Macropus eugenii.- Mutant Generation in Vertebrate Model Organisms by TILLING.- Inducing High Rates of Targeted Mutagenesis in Zebrafish using Zinc Finger Nucleases (ZFNs).- Derivation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cell Lines from Blastocysts Produced by Fertilization and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer.- Cloning Mice and ES Cells by Nuclear Transfer from Somatic Cells and Fully Differentiated Cells.- Keeping Two Animal Systems in One Lab: A Frog Plus Fish Case Study.- Laboratory Guidelines for Animal Care.