Activin-like factor from a Xenopus laevis cell line responsible for mesoderm induction.
Induction of mesoderm during early amphibian embryogenesis can be mimicked in vitro by adding growth factors, including heparin-binding and type-beta transforming growth factors (TGF-beta), to isolated ectoderm explants from Xenopus laevis embryos. Although the mesoderm-inducing factor (MIF) from X. laevis XTC cells (XTC-MIF) has properties similar to TGF-beta, this factor is still unidentified. Recently, we obtained a number of homogeneous cell lines from the heterogeneous XTC population, which differ in their MIF production. Only one, XTC-GTX-11, produced MIF, although it was similar to the rest of the clones in its production of known growth factors, including TGF-beta activity. This observation, together with the identification of activin A as a potent MIF led us to study the parallel activities of MIF and activin. Here we report an analysis of activin-like activity from XTC cells and some of the XTC clones, including XTC-GTX-11. There is a clear consistent correlation between MIF activity and presence of activin activity, indicating that XTC-MIF is the Xenopus homologue of mammalian activin.
van den Eijnden-Van Raaij
A J
AJ
Hubrecht Laboratory, Netherlands Institute for Developmental Biology, Utrecht.
van Zoelent
E J
EJ
van Nimmen
K
K
Koster
C H
CH
Snoek
G T
GT
Durston
A J
AJ
Huylebroeck
D
D
D028341:Activins; D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000032:analysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007265:Inhibins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004915:Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute / Q000473:pathology; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D028341:Activins; D007265:Inhibins; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone