Devitellinization of living Helobdella (leech) embryos.
Embryos of glossiphoniid leeches are enclosed in a thin vitelline envelope until "hatching" (stage 10). This protocol describes the procedure for removing the vitelline envelope from Helobdella robusta and H. sp. (Austin) embryos. This protocol is applicable to embryos of stages 1-9 but is probably more useful for early stages. With careful culturing, the devitellinized embryos can develop normally.
Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA. weisblat@berkeley.edu
David A
DA
Weisblat
Dian-Han
DH
Kuo
D000818:Animals; D015509:Developmental Biology / Q000379:methods*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology*; D007865:Leeches / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology*; D008846:Micromanipulation; D047048:Vitellins / Q000737:chemistry*
D047048:Vitellins