Characterization of mutations affecting embryonic hematopoiesis in the medaka, Oryzias latipes.
In a genetic screen for mutations affecting organogenesis in the medaka, Oryzias latipes, we identified eight mutants with defects in embryonic hematopoiesis. These mutations were classified into seven complementation groups. In this paper, we characterize the five mutants that were confirmed in the next generation. The beni fuji mutant was defective in the generation of blood cells, exhibiting reduced blood cells at the initiation of circulation. Mutations in two genes, lady finger and ryogyoku, caused abnormal morphology of blood cells, i.e., deformation, along with a progressive decrease in the number of blood cells. The sekirei mutant exhibited photosensitivity with autofluorescent blood cells. Mutations in kyoho resulted in huge blood cells that were approximately three times longer than the wild-type blood cells. The spectrum of phenotypes identified in this study is similar to that of the zebrafish hematopoietic mutants except for the huge blood cells in kyoho. Our results demonstrate that medaka, as well as zebrafish, is a useful model to study hematopoiesis.
Tanaka
Kimiko
K
Department of Biological Information, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan.
Ohisa
Satoshi
S
Orihara
Nobuaki
N
Sakaguchi
Sae
S
Horie
Kyohei
K
Hibiya
Kenta
K
Konno
Sayaka
S
Miyake
Akimitsu
A
Setiamarga
Davin
D
Takeda
Hiroyuki
H
Imai
Yoshiyuki
Y
Kudo
Akira
A
D000818:Animals; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D009990:Oryzias / Q000196:embryology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology