Visualization of retinoic acid signaling in transgenic axolotls during limb development and regeneration.

ABSTRACT: Retinoic acid (RA) plays a necessary role in limb development and regeneration, but the precise mechanism by which it acts during these processes is unclear. The role of RA in limb regeneration was first highlighted by the remarkable effect that it has on respecifying the proximodistal axis of the regenerating limb so that serially repeated limbs are produced. To facilitate the study of RA signaling during development and then during regeneration of the same structure we have turned to the axolotl, the master of vertebrate regeneration, and generated transgenic animals that fluorescently report RA signaling in vivo. Characterization of these animals identified an anterior segment of the developing embryo where RA signaling occurs revealing conserved features of the early vertebrate embryo.

SUBMITTER: Monaghan JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3383931 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature