title: Environmental factors modulate the size and the secretory activity of the notochord. A study of the Golgi apparatus in avian embryos.
abstract: In this study we examined the Golgi apparatus of avian notochord transplants excised from 2-day-old (E2) chick embryos and grafted isochronically into a chick host either in a medial-ventral position, next to the host notochord, or in a superficial position under the ectoderm laterally or dorsally to the neural tube. The operated embryos were examined from E2 to E8. The diameters, the cytoplasmic vacuolization and the immunostained Golgi apparatus were identical between the endogenous and ventrally grafted notochords, as well as between host and superficially transplanted notochords when observed at E2. In contrast, from E4 to E8, the size of the notochords grafted dorsally or laterally to the neural tube significantly smaller than the host, while the cytoplasmic vacuolization and the degree of fragmentation of the Golgi apparatus were significantly less than in the host notochords. These results show that environmental and position-specific factors influence the developmental program and the secretory activity of the notochordal cells.
authors.affiliation: Institut d'embryologie du CNRS et du Collège de France, Nogent-sur-Marne, France. monsoro@infobiogen.fr
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Monsoro-Burq
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stieber
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bontoux
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Le Douarin
authors.forename: N K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: Gonatas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D003370:Coturnix / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D004782:Environmental Health; D006056:Golgi Apparatus / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D009672:Notochord / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation