title: Perturbation of in vitro development of rodent embryos by calcium antagonist Quin-2.
abstract: Tissue shaping during embryogenesis is driven, at least in part, by changes in the shapes of the cells of the tissue undergoing morphogenesis. These cell shape changes are effected by microfilaments, and appear, as do microfilament-mediated events in non-embryonic cells, to be calcium-dependent. To explore the possible role of calcium in morphogenesis in mammalian embryos, the effects of Quin-2, a calcium-binding agent which can be loaded into cells as the acetomethyl tetraester (Quin-2-AM), on rat embryos cultured in vitro were determined. Quin-2-AM at 5 x 10(-5) M concentration delays the development of, and subsequently causes the abnormal development of, rat embryos cultured in vitro. In addition, Quin-2-AM inhibits the normal re-elevation of the cephalic neural folds which have been caused to collapse by exposure to medium containing a low concentration of calcium. These results suggest that morphogenetic movements, such as neurulation, depend upon an intracellular relocation of calcium, which can be perturbed by the calcium-binding capacity of Quin-2-AM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, Great Britain.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanisstreet
mesh_terms: D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D002614:Chelating Agents; C035738:Quin2-acetoxymethyl ester; D002118:Calcium