title: Manipulating Gene Expression in the Chick Embryo.
abstract: The chick embryo is a well-established representative of amniote embryos, which has been used to make many discoveries, including many major concepts, which have moved our knowledge of developmental biology in hugely important ways. The chick has a relatively compact genome and is easily amenable to embryological manipulations and in vivo imaging. Morpholino gene manipulations have been used in a variety of contexts, and constitute a quick and versatile molecular tool. Here we describe methods to deliver morpholinos to chick embryos, allowing targeting of specific cell populations at defined developmental stages, using two stages as examples: the epiblast of the embryo in the first day of incubation, when the primary germ layers of the embryo are specified, and in ovo electroporation of the neural tube as an example of a later stage. With slight modifications, these general methods can be used to target other embryonic tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Development and Neuroscience, Cambridge University, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3DY, UK. ogv20@cam.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Octavian
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Voiculescu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK. c.stern@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Claudio D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Stern
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo; D004475:Ectoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods; D004707:Endoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D005855:Germ Layers / Q000378:metabolism; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000378:metabolism; D060172:Morpholinos / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics*; D054259:Neural Tube / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D060172:Morpholinos
keywords: Chick embryo; Ectoderm; Electroporation; Endoderm; Epiblast; Mesoderm; Morpholino; Neural plate