How the mother can help: Studying maternal Wnt signaling by anti-sense-mediated depletion of maternal mRNAs and the host transfer technique

Adnan Mir, Janet Heasman

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Early development in Xenopus laevis is controlled by maternal gene products synthesized during oogen-esis. The dorsal/ventral and anterior/posterior axes are established as a result of canonical Wnt signaling activity. The functions of maternal genes in embryonic development are most effectively studied by introducing anti-sense, oligos complementary to their mRNAs into oocytes and culturing the oocytes long enough to allow for the breakdown of the target RNAs and the turnover of existing cognate proteins before fertilization. This method has been used to establish the role of Wnt signaling in Xenopus axis formation. Here we describe the methodology for targeting of maternal mRNAs and for successful fertilization of mRNA-depleted oocytes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationWnt Signaling
Subtitle of host publicationVolume 2 Pathway Models
EditorsElizabeth Vincan
Pages417-429
Number of pages13
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2008

Publication series

NameMethods in Molecular Biology
Volume469
ISSN (Print)1064-3745

Keywords

  • Anti-sense
  • Host transfer
  • Maternal mRNA depletion
  • Oligo
  • Oocytes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'How the mother can help: Studying maternal Wnt signaling by anti-sense-mediated depletion of maternal mRNAs and the host transfer technique'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this