AMPHIBIAN EMBRYOLOGY

Cleavage in most frog and salamander embryos is radially symmetrical and holoblastic, just like
echinoderm cleavage. The amphibian egg, however, contains much more yolk. This yolk, which
is concentrated in the vegetal hemisphere, is an impediment to cleavage. Thus, the first division
begins at the animal pole and slowly extends down into the vegetal region

An amphibian embryo containing 16 to 64 cells is commonly called a morula (plural: morulae;

from the Latin, “mulberry,” whose shape it vaguely resembles). At the 128-cell stage, the
blastocoel becomes apparent, and the embryo is considered a blastula. Actually, the formation of
the blastocoel has been traced back to the very first cleavage furrow. The first cleavage furrow
widens in the animal hemisphere to create a small intercellular cavity that is sealed off from the
outside by tight intercellular junctions (Figure below).
This cavity expands during subsequent cleavages to become the blastocoel. The blastocoel
probably serves two major functions in frog embryos: (1) it permits cell migration during
gastrulation, and (2) it prevents the cells beneath it from interacting prematurely with the cells
above it.
During this entire process there has been no growth of the embryo. In fact, because the cells of
the blastula are so small, the blastula looks just like the original egg to the unaided eye. Not until
the blastula contains some 4,000 cells is there any transcription of zygote genes. All of the
activities up to now have been run by gene products (mRNA and proteins) deposited by the
mother when she formed the egg.

The start of gastrulation is marked by the pushing inward ("invagination") of cells in the region
of the embryo once occupied by the middle of the gray crescent.

This produces an opening (the blastopore) that will be the future anus. As gastrulation
continues, three distinct "germ layers" are formed: ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. Each
of these will have special roles to play in building the complete animal.

BASIC INFORMATION ON AMPHIBIAN EMBRYOLOGY

Uncleaved Egg

Morula

Blastula
 Gastrula

Early Neurula

Late Neurula

Lab activities:

Procedures

Kindly follow instructions as provided by the Lab Technicians and lecturers.

1. Observe amphibians slides which have been setup on the microscope for you, write the slide
number on the lab handout and identify this stage. Draw the stage and label the drawing.

2. Rotate around the lab and identify 3 other slides. Follow the instructions on your lab handout.

Lab is to be collected at the end of the lab session.