Spatial aspects of neural induction in Xenopus laevis.

A monoclonal antibody, 2G9, has been identified and characterised as a marker of neural differentiation in Xenopus. The epitope is present throughout the adult central nervous system and in peripheral nerves. Staining is first detected in embryos at stage 21 in the thoracic region. By stage 29 it stains the whole central nervous system, except the tail tip. The epitope is present in a 65K Mr protein, and includes sialic acid. The antibody also reacts with neural tissue in mice and axolotls and newts. 2G9 was used to show that both notochord and somites are capable of neural induction, and the stimulus is present as late as stage 22. Attempts to demonstrate the induction of nervous system by developing nervous system (homoiogenetic induction) were unsuccessful. The view that the lateral extent of the nervous system might be determined by that of the inductive stimulus is discussed. Neural induction was detected as early as stage 10 and occurs in embryos without gastrulation and without cell division from stage 7 1/2.