Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos

Allison J. Saul; Catherine E. Rogers; Marcial Garmendia-Cedillos; Thomas Pohida; Katherine  W. Rogers

doi:10.3791/65733

Journal

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Developmental Biology

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Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos

JoVE Journal
Developmental Biology

This content is Free Access.

JoVE Journal Developmental Biology

Optogenetic Signaling Activation in Zebrafish Embryos

2,357 Views

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07:18 min

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October 27, 2023

DOI:

10.3791/65733-v

DOI:

10.3791/65733-v

•

07:18 min

October 27, 2023

•

13 Views

Allison J. Saul*¹, Catherine E. Rogers*¹, Marcial Garmendia-Cedillos², Thomas Pohida², Katherine W. Rogers¹

¹Division of Developmental Biology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development,NIH, ²Instrumentation Development and Engineering Application Solutions, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering,NIH

Transcript

To establish the embryo’s body plan during development cells are thought to decode signaling intensities dynamics and combinations. We are using optogenetics to manipulate these signaling features in zebrafish embryos. This approach will help us understand how embryonic cells decode signaling to make some of the earliest sulfate decisions The optogenetic approaches discussed here use light as a remote control to activate BMP or nodal signaling rapidly and reversibly.

Because light exposure is easy to direct, these approaches can offer improved experimental control over signaling. Our protocol introduces using these light sensitive tools in zebrafish embryos. With this improved temporal and spatial control, it should now be possible to perform precise signaling modifications during zebrafish developments.

We expect this to deepen our understanding of how cells decode signaling to make faint decisions, which will help reveal how the embryonic body plan develops.

Summary

Optogenetic manipulation of signaling pathways can be a powerful strategy to investigate how signaling is decoded in development, regeneration, homeostasis, and disease. This protocol provides practical guidelines for using light-oxygen-voltage sensing domain-based Nodal and bone morphogenic protein (BMP) signaling activators in the early zebrafish embryo.