title: Assessing Primary Neurogenesis in Xenopus Embryos Using Immunostaining.
abstract: Primary neurogenesis is a dynamic and complex process during embryonic development that sets up the initial layout of the central nervous system. During this process, a portion of neural stem cells undergo differentiation and give rise to the first populations of differentiated primary neurons within the nascent central nervous system. Several vertebrate model organisms have been used to explore the mechanisms of neural cell fate specification, patterning, and differentiation. Among these is the African clawed frog, Xenopus, which provides a powerful system for investigating the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for primary neurogenesis due to its rapid and accessible development and ease of embryological and molecular manipulations. Here, we present a convenient and rapid method to observe the different populations of neuronal cells within Xenopus central nervous system. Using antibody staining and immunofluorescence on sections of Xenopus embryos, we are able to observe the locations of neural stem cells and differentiated primary neurons during primary neurogenesis.
authors.affiliation: The Healing Foundation Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester; Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University.
authors.forename: Siwei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Healing Foundation Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester; Department of Craniofacial Development and Stem Cell Biology, Dental Institute, King's College London.
authors.forename: Jingjing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The Healing Foundation Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lea
authors.affiliation: The Healing Foundation Centre, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester; enrique.amaya@manchester.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Amaya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000196:embryology*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D058953:Neural Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D055495:Neurogenesis / Q000502:physiology*; D029867:Xenopus Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D014982:Xenopus laevis / Q000196:embryology*
chemical_list: D029867:Xenopus Proteins