Embryogenesis and laboratory maintenance of the foam-nesting túngara frogs, genus Engystomops (= Physalaemus).
The vast majority of embryological research on amphibians focuses on just a single genus of frogs, Xenopus. To attain a more comprehensive understanding of amphibian development, experimentation on non-model frogs will be essential. Here, we report on the early development, rearing, and embryological analysis of túngara frogs (genus Engystomops, also called Physalaemus). The frogs Engystomops pustulosus, Engystomops coloradorum, and Engystomops randi construct floating foam-nests with small eggs. We define a table of 23 stages for the developmental period in the foam-nest. Embryos were immunostained against Lim1, neural, and somite-specific proteins and the expression pattern of RetinoBlastoma Binding Protein 6 (RBBP6) was analyzed by in situ hybridization. Due to their brief life-cycle, frogs belonging to the genus Engystomops are attractive for comparative and genetic studies of development. Developmental Dynamics 238:1444-1454, 2009. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Romero-Carvajal
Andrés
A
Laboratorio de Biología del Desarrollo, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador.
Sáenz-Ponce
Natalia
N
Venegas-Ferrín
Michael
M
Almeida-Reinoso
Diego
D
Lee
Chanjae
C
Bond
Jennifer
J
Ryan
Michael J
MJ
Wallingford
John B
JB
Del Pino
Eugenia M
EM
D000818:Animals; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D009024:Morphogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D011898:Ranidae / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology