GTP-binding proteins and early embryogenesis in Xenopus.
During early embryogenesis the specification of body axes and the determination of cell subtypes proceeds through cell interactions and movements which involve the decoding of various signals in a spatial and temporal manner. An increasingly abundant literature has revealed the participation of growth factors and their receptors in the induction and regionalization of the mesoderm. The question therefore arises as to whether other signal transducing systems are expressed and play a role in early embryogenesis. In this mini review we describe the main developmental events occurring during early embryogenesis in Xenopus and the signalling pathways that are potentially involved; we then summarize the major properties of heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins; finally, we present results suggesting that heterotrimeric GTP-binding proteins are expressed during early embryogenesis and discuss their potential function.
UMR 9925, University P. Sabatier, Toulouse, France.
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Paquereau
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Audigier
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D009024:Morphogenesis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins