The mesodermal cell layer is created by ingression and migration of the cells from the primitive streak region in mouse embryos on day 7 of pregnancy. In order to study the mechanisms of mesodermal cell migration during development, the mesodermal cells isolated from the primitive streak were cultured on various substrata, and cell behaviour and motility were analysed with a time-lapse video sy...

The role of cytoplasmic domains in the determination of the fates of ectodermal and mesodermal cells has been investigated in leech embryos. When yolk-deficient cytoplasm (teloplasm) was extruded from the animal pole of the zygote, the ectodermal precursor blastomere was converted to a mesodermal fate. This change of fate can be prevented by replacement of the extruded animal teloplasm with tel...

The mesoderm in Drosophila invaginates by a series of characteristic cell shape changes. Mosaics of wild-type cells in an environment of mutant cells incapable of making mesodermal invaginations show that this morphogenetic behaviour does not require interactions between large numbers of cells but that small patches of cells can invaginate independent of their neighbours' behaviour. While the i...

During gastrulation of the amphibian embryo, specification of the three germ layers, endo-, ecto-, and mesoderm, is regulated by maternal and zygotic mechanisms. Although it is known that mesoderm specification requires the cooperation between TGF-beta signaling and p53 activity and requires maternal factors, essential zygotic factors have been elusive. Here, we report that the Zn-finger protei...

Spindle cell neoplasms are defined as neoplasms that consist of spindle-shaped cells in the histopathology. Spindle cell neoplasms can affect the oral cavity. In the oral cavity, the origin of the spindle cell neoplasms may be traced to epithelial, mesenchymal and odontogenic components. This article aims to review the spindle cell neoplasms of the oral cavity with emphasis on histopathology. ...

Embryonic stem cells (ESC) are self-renewing and can generate all cell types during normal development. Previous studies have begun to explore fates of ESCs and their mesodermal derivatives after injection into explanted intact metanephric kidneys and neonatal kidneys maturing in vivo. Here, we exploited a recently described recombinant organ culture model, mixing fluorescent quantum dot labele...

The spinal cord and mesodermal tissues of the trunk such as the vertebral column and skeletal musculature derive from neuro-mesodermal progenitors (NMPs). Sox2, Brachyury (T), and Tbx6 have been correlated with NMP potency and lineage choice; however, their exact role and interaction in these processes have not yet been revealed. Here we present a global analysis of NMPs and their descending li...

Swimbladder of the crucian carp, Carassius auratus, was found to be better as a vegetalizing tissue than other tissues, such as guinea-pig bone marrow, when presumptive ectoderm of Triturus gastrulae was used as reacting tissue. Swimbladder usually induced assemblies of highly organized mesodermal tissues, such as notochord, somites and pronephric tubules, some of which were covered by mesoderm...

Segmentation in the leech embryo is established by a stereotyped cell lineage. Each of the 32 segments arises from homologous, bilaterally symmetrical complements of mesodermal and ectodermal blast cell clones. Although segments are homologous, they are regionally differentiated along the longitudinal body axis. Various segments display idiosyncratic ensembles of features, which constitute disc...