Original Article

DNA Dendrimers Localize MyoD mRNA in Presomitic Tissues of the Chick Embryo

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Correspondence to: Mindy George-Weinstein, Department of Anatomy, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, 4170 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131. Tel:(215) 871-6541 Fax:(215) 871-6540 E-mail:mindyw{at}pcom.edu.

MyoD expression is thought to be induced in somites in response to factors released by surrounding tissues; however, reverse transcription-PCR and cell culture analyses indicate that myogenic cells are present in the embryo before somite formation. Fluorescently labeled DNA dendrimers were used to identify MyoD expressing cells in presomitic tissues in vivo. Subpopulations of MyoD positive cells were found in the segmental plate, epiblast, mesoderm, and hypoblast. Directly after laying, the epiblast of the two layered embryo contained ~20 MyoD positive cells. These results demonstrate that dendrimers are precise and sensitive reagents for localizing low levels of mRNA in tissue sections and whole embryos, and that cells with myogenic potential are present in the embryo before the initiation of gastrulation.

Key Words: myogenesis, epiblast, segmental plate, in situ hybridization, muscle transcription factor

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