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H C Sweet

Publications and source records attributed to H C Sweet.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

The role of micromere signaling in Notch activation and mesoderm specification during sea urchin embryogenesis.

In the sea urchin embryo, the micromeres act as a vegetal signaling center. These cells have been shown to induce endoderm; however, their role in mesoderm development has been less clear. We demonstrate that the micromeres play an important role in the induction of secondary mesenchyme cells (SMCs), possibly by activating the Notch signaling pathway. After removing the micromeres, we observed a significant delay in the formation of all mesodermal cell types examined. In addition, there was a marked reduction in the numbers of pigment cells, blastocoelar cells and cells expressing the SMC1 antigen, a marker for prospective SMCs. The development of skeletogenic cells and muscle cells, however, was not severely affected. Transplantation of micromeres to animal cells resulted in the induction of SMC1-positive cells, pigment cells, blastocoelar cells and muscle cells. The numbers of these cell types were less than those found in sham transplantation control embryos, suggesting that animal cells are less responsive to the micromere-derived signal than vegetal cells. Previous studies have demonstrated a role for Notch signaling in the development of SMCs. We show that the micromere-derived signal is necessary for the downregulation of the Notch protein, which is correlated with its activation, in prospective SMCs. We propose that the micromeres induce adjacent cells to form SMCs, possibly by presenting a ligand for the Notch receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Specification of first quartet micromeres in Ilyanassa involves inherited factors and position with respect to the inducing D macromere.

In the embryos of the gastropod Ilyanassa obsoleta, the development of several ectodermal structures requires an inductive interaction between the micromeres and the D macromere. The first quartet micromeres (1a, 1b, 1c and 1d) contribute to the head of the larva and descendants of 1a and 1c normally develop the eyes. The eyes do not develop if 1a and 1c are removed at the eight-cell stage. However, regulative eye development may occur if the precursors of 1a and 1c are removed at the two- or four-cell stage. One purpose of this study was to demonstrate which cells of the cleavage-stage embryo have the potential to develop an eye. The results of blastomere deletion experiments suggest that only the first quartet micromeres have this ability. In addition, the 1b micromere was found to be equivalent to 1a and 1c, but 1d was found to have a poorer eye-forming ability. A second purpose of this study was to examine how eye development is normally restricted to the 1a and 1c micromeres. Cell transplantation experiments demonstrate that the proximity of a first quartet micromere relative to the inducing D macromere is important for determining whether or not it will go on to develop an eye. The 1b micromere may not develop an eye during normal development because it is too far from the D macromere. However, the eye-forming ability of the 1d micromere is not influenced by its close position to the D macromere, but is restricted by its polar lobe lineage.

Animals↗