Fig. 3.
Recombinant human GDF3 protein (rhGDF3) inhibits BMP activity in animal caps. Animal caps were isolated from stage 9 embryos and were cultured intact or were disassociated. The intact caps were treated with increasing doses of rhGDF3 or with recombinant mouse Nodal (rmNodal) to test for BU (mesoderm) induction. Disassociated caps express Sox2 (neural tissue) but treatment with BMP4 alone induces Msx1 (epidermis). Increasing doses of rhGDF3 protein antagonize BMP4 protein to revert the cells to a neural state. ODC is shown as a loading control. No RT is a control for genomic DNA.