Inhibition of dye-coupling in Patella (Mollusca) embryos by microinjection of antiserum against nephrops (Arthropoda) gap junctions.

Antiserum raised against Nephrops gap junctions was injected into single cells of the 2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, and 32-cell stage of the Patella vulgata embryos. The pattern of junctional communication by iontophoresis of Lucifer Yellow CH was tested at the 32-cell stage. The results show that the normal pattern of dye-coupling at the 32-cell stage is disrupted in greater than 65% of embryos previously injected with antisera. In contrast, less than 15% of embryos injected with preimmune serum exhibited disrupted patterns of dye-coupling. Up to the late 32-cell stage no effect of the antiserum on the pattern of cleavage was detected. This antiserum may provide a powerful tool to investigate the role of junctional communication in later stages of development of Patella embryos.