Fig. 7. Surgical separation of somites from the neural tube prevents initiation of sMyHC2 but not sMyHC3 expression. Explants from HH 14 embryos were cultured for 24 hours either with or without axial structures (neural tube/notochord) and were then assayed by in situ hybridization. (A) In the absence of neural tube, sMyHC2 was not expressed. (B) When the contralateral somites of (A) were incubated with the associated neural tube (nt), sMyHC2 is expressed. (C) Separation of somites from the neural tube/notochord does not inhibit sMyHC3 expression. (D) Somites contralateral to (C) and incubated in the presence of neural tube/notochord also express sMyHC3.

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