Selective inhibition of gastrulation in the starfish embryo by albuside B, an inosine analogue.
External application of 0.2-100 micrograms/ml albuside B inhibits gastrulation of the starfish (Asterina pectinifera) embryo. Treated embryos retain the late blastula morphology with the vegetal plate. However, the vegetal plate is unreactive to soybean agglutinin, a probe for observing the progenitor cells of the archenteron (mesendoderm) in a normal embryo. The effective period of the treatment is limited from 4 to 6 h after fertilization, a period immediately before the onset of blastulation. RNA synthesis is unaffected during the period of sensitivity. The selectivity of the inhibition shows that albuside B may be a useful tool for studying the mechanisms of mesendoderm differentiation.
Shimizu
T
T
Department of Applied Biochemistry, Faculty of Applied Biological Sciences, Hiroshima University, Japan.
Hamada
K
K
Isomura
H
H
Myotoishi
Y
Y
Ikegami
S
S
Kaneko
H
H
Dan-Sohkawa
M
M
D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D005775:Gastrula / Q000187:drug effects*; D007288:Inosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology; D009024:Morphogenesis; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D030262:Soybean Proteins; D013215:Starfish / Q000196:embryology*; D013234:Stem Cells; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins
D007288:Inosine; D037102:Lectins; D037121:Plant Lectins; D012313:RNA; D030262:Soybean Proteins; C095230:albuside B; C028824:soybean lectin; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins