Skip to main content
. 2018 Jul 23;7:e34404. doi: 10.7554/eLife.34404

Figure 3. Dkk2 knockdown blocks neural crest induction by Wnt8 in neuralized animal cap explants.

Figure 3.

(a) At the 2 cell stage, mRNAs encoding noggin (50 pg) and wnt8 (100 pg) were injected in the animal pole region alone or in combination with Dkk2SMO (30 ng) or CoMO (30 ng). At the blastula stage (NF stage 9), animal cap explants were dissected and cultured for 8 hr and analyzed by qRT-PCR. (b–c) Attenuation of Bmp signaling in combination with Wnt8 induces snai2 expression. Dkk2SMO blocks snai2 induction by Wnt8 to promote neural plate fate (sox2 expression). A CoMO had no effect on the neural crest-inducing activity of Wnt8. (d) wnt8 (100 pg mRNA) expression activates a TOP-FLASH reporter (10 pg DNA) construct in animal cap explants, an activity that is completely blocked by Dkk2SMO coinjection (30 ng). (e) The induction of the neural plate gene sox2 by noggin (50 pg mRNA), and (f) the induction of the mesoderm gene bra by Fgf8b (100 pg mRNA) were unaffected by Dkk2SMO injection (30 ng). Graph represents mean ± s.e.m. of 3 independent experiments. *p<0.03; paired two tailed Student’s t-test. n.s. not significant.