Ectopic activation of the canonical wnt signaling pathway affects ectodermal patterning along the primary axis during larval development in the anthozoan Nematostella vectensis.

ABSTRACT: The primary axis of cnidarians runs from the oral pole to the apical tuft and defines the major body axis of both the planula larva and adult polyp. In the anthozoan cnidarian Nematostella vectensis, the primary oral-aboral (O-Ab) axis first develops during the early embryonic stage. Here, we present evidence that pharmaceutical activators of canonical wnt signaling affect molecular patterning along the primary axis of Nematostella. Although not overtly morphologically complex, molecular investigations in Nematostella reveal that the O-Ab axis is demarcated by the expression of differentially localized signaling molecules and transcription factors that may serve roles in establishing distinct ectodermal domains. We have further characterized the larval epithelium by determining the positio

SUBMITTER: Marlow H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4792810 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature