title: The development of asymmetry: the sidedness of drug-induced limb abnormalities is reversed in situs inversus mice.
abstract: We are studying the development of handedness, in particular the relationships between handed structures with bilateral symmetry, for example the limbs, and those with lateral asymmetry, such as the heart, lungs and gut. Asymmetric (unilateral) developmental limb abnormalities can be induced by chemical treatment of mouse embryos, either in utero by acetazolamide, or in culture by misonidazole. We have examined these effects in mice homozygous for the iv gene. The development of bilateral symmetry in iv/iv mice is normal, but the control of asymmetry appears to be random, that is 50% develop normally (situs solitus), 50% with laterally inverted viscera (situs inversus). We find that the handedness of induced asymmetric limb defects is highly correlated with embryonic visceral situs. Right limb defects are induced in situs solitus embryos, left-sided defects in situs inversus. This suggests that the mechanism of induction of asymmetric defects is not related to any intrinsic difference between the development of left and right limbs, but is connected to visceral asymmetry. In addition, the high correlation of limb defects with situs was observed in culture as well as in utero suggesting that the maternal environment plays no role in the development of asymmetry.
authors.affiliation: MRC Experimental Embryology and Teratology Unit, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Hoyle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McCarthy
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wolpert
mesh_terms: D000086:Acetazolamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D005121:Extremities / Q000196:embryology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000187:drug effects*; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital; D051379:Mice; D008920:Misonidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012857:Situs Inversus / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics; D014781:Viscera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D008920:Misonidazole; D000086:Acetazolamide