Acta Anatomica Sinica

AAS ›› 2014, Vol. ›› Issue (2): 211-215.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0529-1356.2014.02.012

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Temporal expressions of fibroblast growth factor receptor genes during Zebrafish embryonic development

ZHANG Jia-jia 1,2  LIN Lin1 LIU Ni-ya1 WU Hong-mei1 HE Jin-cai 2* HUANG Chen-ping 1*   

  1. 1. Department of Preventive Medicine, School of Environmental Science and Public Health; 2.Department of Neurology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang Wenzhou 325035, China
  • Received:2013-08-12 Revised:2013-09-22 Online:2014-04-06 Published:2014-04-06
  • Contact: HE Jin-cai HUANG Chen-ping E-mail:wzhcp@263.net

Abstract:

Objective To study the temporal expressions of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor genes (fgfrs) during zebrafish embryonic development. Methods Total RNA was extracted from zebrafish embryos at 4, 6, 10, 12, 18, 24, 48 and 72 hours post fertilization (hpf), respectively, and was reversely transcripted to cDNA. The fgfrs’ mRNA levels were then determined by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). Results The temporal mRNA expression of fgfrs varied significantly during embryonic development with a pattern of peak curve (P<0.01). During zebrafish embryogenesis the mRNA expressions of fgfr1a-b, fgfr4, fgfr2 and fgfr3 began at blastula, early gastrula, gastrula and late gastrula, and peaked at gastrula, late gastrula, segmentation and mid-late period, respectively. There was significant correlation between the expression levels of the paralogs fgfr1a and fgfr1b (r=0.830,P<0.05). And there were also significant correlations in fgfr1a-fgfr3, fgfr1b-fgfr4 and fgfr2-fgfr3 (P<0.05) with r values of -0.726, 0.821 and 0.772, respectively. Conclusion Each of fgfrs has its own expression pattern during zebrafish embryonic development. The fgfr1 and fgfr4 mainly play their roles at the early period of embryogenesis, while the fgfr2 and fgfr3 at the mid-late period. The co-expression of fgfr1a and fgfr1b exhibits the redundant function of the paralogs during embryonic development. There probably is a reciprocal relationship in gene expression between fgfr1 and fgfr3, But the intrinsic correlations of fgfr1-fgfr4 and fgfr2-fgfr3 still need to be verified.