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Multicellular mathematical modelling of mesendoderm formation in amphibians

Brown, L.E; Middleton, A.M.; King, J.R.; Loose, M.

Authors

L.E Brown

A.M. Middleton

JOHN KING JOHN.KING@NOTTINGHAM.AC.UK
Professor of Theoretical Mechanics

MATTHEW LOOSE matt.loose@nottingham.ac.uk
Professor of Developmental and Computational Biology



Abstract

The earliest cell fate decisions in a developing embryo are those associated with establishing the germ layers. The specification of the mesoderm and endoderm is of particular interest as the mesoderm is induced from the endoderm, potentially from an underlying bipotential group of cells, the mesendoderm. Mesendoderm formation has been well studied in an amphibian model frog, Xenopus laevis, and its formation is driven by a gene regulatory network (GRN) induced by maternal factors deposited in the egg. We have recently demonstrated that the axolotl, a urodele amphibian, utilises a different topology in its GRN to specify the mesendoderm. In this paper, we develop spatially structured mathematical models of the GRNs governing mesendoderm formation in a line of cells. We explore several versions of the model of mesendoderm formation in both Xenopus and the axolotl, incorporating the key differences between these two systems. Model simulations are able to reproduce known experimental data, such as Nodal expression domains in Xenopus, and also make predictions about how the positional information derived from maternal factors may be interpreted to drive cell fate decisions. We find that whilst cell–cell signalling plays a minor role in Xenopus, it is crucial for correct patterning domains in axolotl.

Citation

Brown, L., Middleton, A., King, J., & Loose, M. (2016). Multicellular mathematical modelling of mesendoderm formation in amphibians. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology, 78(3), 436-467. doi:10.1007/s11538-016-0150-8

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 4, 2016
Publication Date Mar 5, 2016
Deposit Date Aug 3, 2018
Print ISSN 0092-8240
Electronic ISSN 1522-9602
Publisher BMC
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 78
Issue 3
Pages 436-467
DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s11538-016-0150-8
Public URL https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1115321
Publisher URL https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11538-016-0150-8
PMID 26934886
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