Whole-mount antibody stainings using anti-Zf-T antiserum. (A) Sphere stage. The nuclear antigen is restricted to a few cells at the margin. (B) 50% epiboly, animal view. Plane of focus is on the animal pole (left half) and on the margin (right half). Cells in the future ectoderm are devoid of nuclear staining. (C) 90% epiboly. Ventral view. (D and E) Germ ring stage. An enveloping layer cell and all blastomeres of the marginal area are stained (D), but not the nuclei of the yolk syncytial layer (E). Note the size difference between the yolk syncytial layer at dorsal (E) and ventral (D) positions of the same embryo. (F) Sagittal section through an embryo of the germ ring stage. DAPI counterstaining reveals that all nuclei of blastomeres in the margin contain Zf-T protein. (G) 50% epiboly, side view. Note staining of the enveloping layer cells. (H) Dorsal view of a 90% epiboly embryo. The specimen has been flattened. Anterior is to the top. (I) Tailtip of a 15-somite-stage embryo. (K) Trunk region of a 28-somite-stage embryo (side view). The focus is on the level of the notochord. Animal pole to the top in A, C, D, E and G. Abbreviations: EL, enveloping layer; YSL, yolk syncytial layer; NT, neural tube.
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