Fig. 2.

HDAC activity is essential for proper gene expression in pluripotent blastula cells. (A,B) In situ hybridization examining tfap2, id3, oct25, vent2 and sox3 expression in pluripotent blastula cells following treatment with vehicle or inhibitor [500 nM TSA (A) or 20 mM VPA (B)]. Embryos were treated at the two-cell stage and collected at the late blastula stage (stage 9). (C) qRT-PCR of animal pole explants examining the expression of pluripotency genes after treatment with vehicle or inhibitor (500 nM TSA) (***P<0.005). Explants were cultured alongside sibling embryos grown until late blastula stages (stage 9). (D) In situ hybridization examining epk and sox3 expression in animal pole explants treated with vehicle or inhibitor (500 nM TSA). Explants were cultured alongside sibling embryos until late gastrula stages (stage 13). Scale bars: 250 μm.