Manipulation of Gap Junctional Communication Between the Yolk Syncytial Layer and Blastoderm Cells and Its Effect On Embryonic Development of Cyprinus Carpio

In an attempt to block gap junctional communication during early development antibodies against connexins were injected into the YSL of carp embryos at the 30% epiboly stage. No effect on development in terms of survival or specific aberrations was observed. It appeared that no antibodies could be demonstrated in the YSL bordering the blastoderm. Connexin translation was aimed to be interrupted by antisense connexin RNA injection into the yolk just beneath the blastoderm cells of the 2- to 16-cell stage carp embryos. Preliminary results indicate a relatively small body volume in a number of treated embryos, which might indicate a disturbance of cell convergence during early gastrulation. The overexpression of connexin RNA by the injection of sense connexin RNA formed another approach to study gap junctional communication. This treatment resulted in aberrant development, which most seriously affected embryos after injection at the 2- to 8-cell stage.

Affiliations: 1: Wageningen Agricultural University, Department of Experimental Animal Morphology and Cell Biology, P.O. Box 338, NL 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands