Fig. 9. Transplants suggest that lsnw24 functions cell
autonomously in the endoderm and endoderm is required for ENS development.
(A-D) Transplantation of wild-type endodermal cells partially
rescues posterior arch cartilage formation in lsn mutants. (A) At
blastula stage, fluorescein-dextran labelled wild-type cells expressing
Tar* were transplanted into host and allowed to develop. The
lateral view of the head region at 72 hpf shows grafted cells (green) have
differentiated into pharyngeal endoderm derivatives. (B-D) Ventral views of 5
dpf larvae stained with Alcian Blue to show cartilages. (B) Wild-type control.
All lower jaw cartilages are clearly identifiable. (C) lsn mutant
larvae transplanted with wild-type cells showing rescue of posterior
ceratobranchial (3-5) in the vicinity of transplanted
Tar*-expressing wild type cells (black staining) in the
pharyngeal arch endoderm (arrowheads). (D) lsn mutant that lacks
posterior ceratobranchials. (E-H) Casanova morphant embryos
have no intestinal endoderm and no migrating ENS precursors. Dorsal views of
48 hpf control embryos (E,F) and cas morphant embryos (G,H)
hybridized with riboprobes for phox2b (E,G) or foxa3 (F,H)
showing a complete lack of phox2b-expressing cells in the region of
the intestine of morphant embryos (G) that also completely lack intestinal
endoderm (H). Arrowheads in E indicate migrating ENS precursors. m, Meckel's
cartilage of the mandibular arch; ch, ceratohyal cartilage; 1-5
ceratobranchial cartilages; G, intestine; L, liver, P, pancreas.