Summary
Maturing axolotl oocytes which are treated with protein synthesis inhibitors or which are heat-shocked can be induced to reorganize their cytoplasm and to form an early grey crescent. The maturing axolotl oocyte has been used as a model system to study the role of the cytoskeleton in dorsoventral polarization as visualized by grey crescent formation. Results presented here provide evidence for the involvement of microtubules in the formation of the early grey crescent. Whereas inhibitors of microtubule polymerization and antibodies against tubulin both elicit early grey crescent formation, the effect of taxol shows that microtubule polymerization is required at a late stage in this event. The nucleus furnishes important factors required for early grey crescent formation and might play a role in microtubule polymerization.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Beetschen JC (1979) Recherches expérimentales sur la symétrisation de l'ovocyte et de l'œuf d'axolotl: facteurs conditionnant l'apparition précoce du croissant gris à la suite d'un choc thermique. CR Acad Sci (Paris) 288:643–646
Benford HH, Namenwirth M (1974) Precocious appearance of the gray crescent in heat-shocked axolotl eggs. Dev Biol 38:172–176
Blose SH, Meltzer DI, Feramisco JR (1984) 10nm filaments are induced to collapse in living cells microinjected with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against tubulin. J Cell Biol 98:847–858
Brachet J (1977) An old enigma: The gray crescent of the amphibian egg. In: Current topics. Dev Biol 11:133–186
Elinson RP (1983) Cytoplasmic phases in the first cell cycle of the activated frog egg. Dev Biol 100:440–451
Elinson RP (1985) Changes in level of polymeric tubulin associated with activation and dorso-ventral polarization of the frog egg. Dev Biol 109:224–233
Gautier J, Beetschen JC (1983) Inhibition of protein synthesis elicits early grey crescent formation in axolotl oocyte. Wilhelm Roux's Arch Dev Biol 192:196–200
Gautier J, Beetschen JC (1985) A three-step scheme for grey crescent formation in the rotated axolotl oocyte. Dev Biol 110:192–199
Gerhart JG (1980) Mechanisms regulating pattern formation in the amphibian egg and early embryo. In: Goldberger RF (ed) Biological regulation and development. Plenum Press, New York, pp 133–293
Heidemann SR, Kirschner MW (1978) Induced formation of asters and cleavage furrows in oocytes of Xenopus laevis during in vitro maturation. J Exp Zool 204:430–444
Herkovits J, Ubbels GA (1979) The ultrastructure of the dorsal yolk-free cytoplasm and the immediately surrounding cytoplasm in the symmetrized egg of Xenopus laevis. J Embryol Exp Morphol 51:154–164
Horwitz SB, Parness J, Schiff PB, Manfredi JJ (1981) Taxol: a new probe for studying the structure and function of microtubules. Cold Spring Harbor Symposia, pp 219–226
Jeffery WR (1984) Pattern formation by ooplasmic segregation in Ascidian eggs. Biol Bull 166: 2:277–298
Lowry OH, Rosebrough NY, Farr AV, Randall RJ (1951) Protein measurement with the folin phenol reagent. J Biol Chem 193:265–275
Manes ME, Elinson RP, Barbieri FD (1978) Formation of the amphibian grey crescent. Effects of colchicin and cytochalasin B. Wilhelm Roux's Arch 185:99–104
Neff AW, Wakahara M, Jurand A, Malacinski GM (1984) Experimental analysis of cytoplasmic rearrangements which follow fertilization and accompany symmetrization of inverted Xenopus eggs. J Embryol Exp Morphol 80:197–224
Pasteels JJ (1964) The morphogenetic role of the cortex of the amphibian egg. Adv Morphogen 3:363–388
Strome S, Wood WB (1983) Generation of asymmetry and segregation of germ-line granules in early C. elegans embryos. Cell 35:11–25
Ubbels GA (1977) Symmetrization of the fertilized egg of Xenopus laevis, studied by cytological, cytochemical and ultrastructural methods. In: Progrès récents en Biologie du développement des Amphibiens. Mem Soc Zool Fr 41:103–106
Ubbels GA, Hara K, Koster CH, Kirschner MW (1983) Evidence for a functional role of the cytoskeleton in determination of the dorso-ventral axis in Xenopus laevis eggs. J Embryol Exp Morphol 77:15–37
Vincent JP, Oster GF, Gerhart JC (1986) Kinematics of grey crescent formation in Xenopus eggs: The displacement of subcortical cytoplasm relative to the egg surface. Dev Biol 113:484–500
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gautier, J., Tencer, R. Involvement of the cytoskeleton in early grey crescent formation in axolotl oocytes. Roux's Arch Dev Biol 196, 316–320 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395955
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00395955