Gardiner MR, Daggett DF, Zon LI, Perkins AC. Zebrafish KLF4 is essential for anterior mesendoderm/pre-polster differentiation and hatching. Dev Dyn. 2005 Dec; 234(4):992-6.

Citation

Gardiner MR, Daggett DF, Zon LI, Perkins AC. 2005. Zebrafish KLF4 is essential for anterior mesendoderm/pre-polster differentiation and hatching. Developmental dynamics : an official publication of the American Association of Anatomists. 234(4):992-6. Pubmed: 16222715

Abstract

Gene knockout studies of Krüppel-like factors (KLFs) in mice have shown essential roles in organogenesis. A screen for KLF family members in zebrafish identified many KLFs. One of these, zebrafish KLF4 (zKLF4) is the homologue of neptune, a Xenopus laevis KLF. zKLF4 is expressed from approximately 80% epiboly a patch of dorsal/anterior mesendodermal cells called the pre-polster and, subsequently, in the polster and hatching gland. Here we investigate the function of zKLF4 using morpholino-based antisense oligonucleotides. Knockdown of zKLF4 resulted in complete absence of hatching gland formation and subsequent hatching in zebrafish. In addition, there was early knockdown of expression of the pre-polster/anterior mesendoderm markers CatL, cap1, and BMP4. These results indicate zKLF4 is expressed within the pre-polster, an early mesendodermal site, and that it plays a critical role in the differentiation of these cells into hatching gland cells.

Related Faculty

Leonard Zon, M.D.

Zon Lab

The Zon laboratory aims to dissect how assaults to the hematopoietic system cause severe diseases such as leukemias, lymphomas, and anemias. They investigate hematopoietic development and disease using chemical screens, genetic screens, and analysis of novel transgenic lines in zebrafish.