Implantation of Dkk-1-soaked Beads into the Neural Tube of Chicken Embryos

Abstract

Chick embryos are known to be a powerful system to test gene function due to the “in vivo” accessibility, short time for results retrieval and the possibility to perform a large number of experiments. Synthetic micro-beads soaked in morphogenetic signals or receptor inhibitors can be implanted in selective embryo regions at precise developmental stages activating or blocking different signaling pathways. Here, we describe the manipulation of Wnt signaling pathway using Dkk-1-soaked micro-beads, implanted in ovo in the anterior part of the developing neural tube of chicken embryos; specifically at the prospective zona limitans intrathalamica at stage HH10.