Fig. 1. MyoD expression is independent from neural tube and ectodermal signals. (A,D,G,J) Schematic representation of the experimental procedures. Whole-mount in situ hybridization (B,E,H,K) and transversal sections (C,F,I). (B,C) Wnt4 (red) and MyoD (blue) expression after dorsal neural tube ablation. In these conditions, 91% of the embryos showed normal MyoD expression (n=10/11). (E,F) MyoD expression after ectoderm isolation. All of the embryos showed normal MyoD expression (n=11), compared with the contralateral, unoperated side, or with MyoD expression observed rostral and caudal to the membrane (indicated by arrowheads). (H,I) Wnt4 (red) and MyoD (blue) expression after both, dorsal neural tube and ectoderm ablation. Ninety-three percent of the embryos showed normal MyoD expression (n=14/15). (K) MyoD expression 1 hour after separation of somites from axial structures. All of the embryos failed to show MyoD expression (n=8). Broken lines indicate the level of the sections. n, notochord; nt, neural tube; e, ectoderm; s, somite.

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