Effects of Smad2/3a on the expression of crestin, a marker gene in zebrafish neural crest cells

  Objective: To investigate the effect of Smad2/3a on the development of vertebrate neural crest cells.

  Method: Microinjection of smad2/3 morpholine ring modified antisense oligonucleotides during the single-cell stage of zebrafish embryos to specifically knock down the expression of smad2/3 genes until the embryo develops to the 6th somite. Whole embryo in situ hybridization was used to detect the expression of neural crest cell-specific marker genes snail1b, sox10, foxd3 and crestin; casmad2mRNA and smad3amRNA were used to overexpress smad2 and smad3a through microinjection of casmad2mRNA and smad3amRNA, and neural crest cells were also detected by whole embryo in situ hybridization The expression of the specific marker gene crestin; overexpression of casmad2 and smad3a can rescue embryos that have down-regulated smad2 and smad3a.

  Results: After smad2/3a was knocked down, the expression of crestin was significantly reduced, while the expression of snail1b, sox10 and foxd3 did not change significantly. After smad3b was knocked down, the expression of crestin, snail1b, sox10 and foxd3 did not change significantly. ; Overexpression of casmad2 and smad3a can lead to increased expression of crestin; overexpression of casmad2 and smad3a can save the low expression of crestin caused by smad2/3a knockdown.

  Conclusion: Smad2 and Smad3a play an important role in the expression of neural crest cell marker gene crestin.