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J. Dev. Biol., Volume 12, Issue 4 (December 2024) – 6 articles

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17 pages, 6013 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptomic Evidence for Cell-Autonomous Sex Differentiation of the Gynandromorphic Fat Body in the Silkworm, Bombyx mori

by Fumiko Yamamoto, Takeshi Yokoyama, Yan Su and Masataka G. Suzuki

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040031 - 20 Nov 2024

Viewed by 307

Abstract

The classic model of sex determination in insects suggests that they do not have sex hormones and that sex is determined in a cell-autonomous manner. On the other hand, there is accumulating evidence that the development of secondary sexual traits is controlled in a non-cell-autonomous manner through external factors. To evaluate the degrees of the cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous regulation of secondary sexual trait development, we analyzed the dynamics of the sexually dimorphic transcriptome in gynandromorphic individuals of the mo mutant strain in the silkworm Bombyx mori. The silkworm possesses a female heterogametic sex-determination system (ZZ = male/ZW = female), where the master regulatory gene for femaleness, Feminizer (Fem), is located in the W chromosome. As a secondary sexual trait, we focused on the fat body, which shows remarkable differences between the sexes during the last instar larval stage. A comparison of the transcriptomes between the fat bodies of male and female larvae identified 232 sex-differentially expressed genes (S-DEGs). The proportions of ZZ and ZW cells constituting the fat body of the gynandromorphic larvae were calculated according to the expression level of the Fem. Based on the obtained values, the expression level of each S-DEG was estimated, assuming that the levels of S-DEG expression were determined according to the proportion of ZZ and ZW cells. The estimated expression levels of 207 out of 232 S-DEGs were strongly correlated with the corresponding S-DEG expression level of the gynandromorphic fat body, determined by RNA-seq. These results strongly suggest that most of the sexually dimorphic transcriptome in the fat body is regulated in a cell-autonomous manner. Full article

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16 pages, 2518 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methyl-Beta-Cyclodextrin Restores Aberrant Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2-Signaling in Bone Marrow Stromal Cells Obtained from Aged C57BL/6 Mice

by Daniel Halloran, Venu Pandit, Kelechi Chukwuocha and Anja Nohe

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040030 - 18 Nov 2024

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Abstract

During aging, disruptions in various signaling pathways become more common. Some older patients will exhibit irregular bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling, which can lead to osteoporosis (OP)—a debilitating bone disease resulting from an imbalance between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. In 2002, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) for use in spinal fusion surgeries as it is required for bone formation. However, complications with rhBMP-2 arose and primary osteoblasts from OP patients often fail to respond to BMP-2. Although patient samples are available for study, previous medical histories can impact results. Consequently, the C57BL/6 mouse line serves as a valuable model for studying OP and aging. We find that BMP receptor type Ia (BMPRIa) is upregulated in the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) of 15-month-old mice, consistent with prior data. Furthermore, conjugating BMP-2 with Quantum Dots (QDot^®s) allows effective binding to BMPRIa, creating a fluorescent tag for BMP-2. Furthermore, after treating BMSCs with methyl-β-cyclodextrin (MβCD), a disruptor of cellular endocytosis, BMP signaling is restored in 15-month-old mice, as shown by von Kossa assays. MβCD has the potential to restore BMPRIa function, and the BMP signaling pathway offers a promising avenue for future OP therapies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The 10th Anniversary of JDB: Feature Papers)

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12 pages, 10758 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Prosaposin/Saposin Expression in the Developing Rat Olfactory and Vomeronasal Epithelia

by Kai Kitamura, Kyoko Saito, Takeshi Homma, Aimi Fuyuki, Sawa Onouchi and Shouichiro Saito

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 29; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040029 - 6 Nov 2024

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Abstract

Prosaposin is a glycoprotein widely conserved in vertebrates, and it acts as a precursor for saposins that accelerate hydrolysis in lysosomes or acts as a neurotrophic factor without being processed into saposins. Neurogenesis in the olfactory neuroepithelia, including the olfactory epithelium (OE) and the vomeronasal epithelium (VNE), is known to occur throughout an animal’s life, and mature olfactory neurons (ORNs) and vomeronasal receptor neurons (VRNs) have recently been revealed to express prosaposin in the adult olfactory organ. In this study, the expression of prosaposin in the rat olfactory organ during postnatal development was examined. In the OE, prosaposin immunoreactivity was observed in mature ORNs labeled using olfactory marker protein (OMP) from postnatal day (P) 0. Immature ORNs showed no prosaposin immunoreactivity throughout the examined period. In the VNE, OMP-positive VRNs were mainly observed in the basal region of the VNE on P10 and showed an adult-like distribution from P20. On the other hand, prosaposin immunoreactivity was observed in VRNs from P0, suggesting that not only mature VRNs but also immature VRNs express prosaposin. This study raises the possibility that prosaposin is required for the normal development of the olfactory organ and has different roles in the OE and the VNE. Full article

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15 pages, 40327 KiB

Open AccessReview

How the Oocyte Nucleolus Is Turned into a Karyosphere: The Role of Heterochromatin and Structural Proteins

by Venera Nikolova, Maya Markova, Ralitsa Zhivkova, Irina Chakarova, Valentina Hadzhinesheva and Stefka Delimitreva

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040028 - 18 Oct 2024

Viewed by 632

Abstract

Oocyte meiotic maturation includes large-scale chromatin remodeling as well as cytoskeleton and nuclear envelope rearrangements. This review addresses the dynamics of key cytoskeletal proteins (tubulin, actin, vimentin, and cytokeratins) and nuclear envelope proteins (lamin A/C, lamin B, and the nucleoporin Nup160) in parallel with chromatin reorganization in maturing mouse oocytes. A major feature of this reorganization is the concentration of heterochromatin into a spherical perinucleolar rim called surrounded nucleolus or karyosphere. In early germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes with non-surrounded nucleolus (without karyosphere), lamins and Nup160 are at the nuclear envelope while cytoplasmic cytoskeletal proteins are outside the nucleus. At the beginning of karyosphere formation, lamins and Nup160 follow the heterochromatin relocation assembling a new spherical structure in the GV. In late GV oocytes with surrounded nucleolus (fully formed karyosphere), the nuclear envelope gradually loses its integrity and cytoplasmic cytoskeletal proteins enter the nucleus. At germinal vesicle breakdown, lamin B occupies the karyosphere interior while all the other proteins stay at the karyosphere border or connect to chromatin. In metaphase oocytes, lamin A/C surrounds the spindle, Nup160 localizes to its poles, actin and lamin B are attached to the spindle fibers, and cytoplasmic intermediate filaments associate with both the spindle fibers and the metaphase chromosomes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers from Journal of Developmental Biology Reviewers)

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17 pages, 1558 KiB

Open AccessReview

Neural Circuit Remodeling: Mechanistic Insights from Invertebrates

by Samuel Liu, Kellianne D. Alexander and Michael M. Francis

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 27; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040027 - 11 Oct 2024

Viewed by 888

Abstract

As nervous systems mature, neural circuit connections are reorganized to optimize the performance of specific functions in adults. This reorganization of connections is achieved through a remarkably conserved phase of developmental circuit remodeling that engages neuron-intrinsic and neuron-extrinsic molecular mechanisms to establish mature circuitry. Abnormalities in circuit remodeling and maturation are broadly linked with a variety of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorders and schizophrenia. Here, we aim to provide an overview of recent advances in our understanding of the molecular processes that govern neural circuit remodeling and maturation. In particular, we focus on intriguing mechanistic insights gained from invertebrate systems, such as the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We discuss how transcriptional control mechanisms, synaptic activity, and glial engulfment shape specific aspects of circuit remodeling in worms and flies. Finally, we highlight mechanistic parallels across invertebrate and mammalian systems, and prospects for further advances in each. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers from Journal of Developmental Biology Reviewers)

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15 pages, 4628 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Delayed Blastocyst Formation Reduces the Quality and Hatching Ability of Porcine Parthenogenetic Blastocysts by Increasing DNA Damage, Decreasing Cell Proliferation, and Altering Transcription Factor Expression Patterns

by Ling Sun, Yan Wang, Mo Yang, Zhuang-Ju Xu, Juan Miao, Ying Bai and Tao Lin

J. Dev. Biol. 2024, 12(4), 26; https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb12040026 - 1 Oct 2024

Viewed by 655

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of blastocyst formation timing on the quality of porcine embryos derived from parthenogenetic activation. Newly formed blastocysts at days 6, 7, and 8 of culture [termed formation 6, 7, and 8 blastocysts (F6, F7, and F8 blastocysts)] were obtained, and a series of parameters related to the quality of blastocysts, including apoptosis incidents, DNA replication, pluripotent factors, and blastocyst hatching capacity, were assessed. Delayed blastocyst formation (F7 and/or F8 blastocysts) led to increased levels of ROS, DNA damage, and apoptosis while decreasing the mitochondrial membrane potential, DNA replication, Oct4 levels, and numbers of Sox2-positive cells. F7 blastocysts showed a significantly reduced hatching rate compared to F6 blastocysts; however, F8 blastocysts were unable to develop to the hatching stage. Collectively, our findings suggest a negative correlation between delayed blastocyst formation and blastocyst quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Papers from Journal of Developmental Biology Reviewers)

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