Xenopus laevis as a Model Organism for the Study of Spinal Cord Formation, Development, Function and Regeneration

The spinal cord is the first central nervous system structure to develop during vertebrate embryogenesis, underscoring its importance to the organism. In contrast, amphibians, in general and the African-clawed frog Xenopus laevis, in particular, offer model systems in which the formation of the spinal cord, the differentiation of spinal neurons and glia and the establishment of spinal neuron and neuromuscular synapses can be easily investigated with minimal perturbations to the whole organism. The significant advances on gene editing and microscopy along with the recent completion of the Xenopus laevis genome sequencing have reinvigorated the use of this classic model species to elucidate the mechanisms of spinal cord formation, development, function and regeneration.

• 1
  Xenopus laevis has been instrumental in identifying factors involved in neural induction, such as Noggin, Chordin, and Follistatin, all inhibitors of the Bone Morphogenetic Protein (BMP) pathway and Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF).
• 2
  Studies in Xenopus have illuminated the cellular and molecular mechanisms mediating neural tube formation, including the role of Shroom in apical constriction and the importance of folate receptor-1 for neural plate cell apical constriction.
• 3
  Xenopus studies have contributed to understanding spinal neuron differentiation, including the discovery of Ca2+-dependent action potentials in developing spinal neurons and the role of Ca2+ spike activity in neurotransmitter phenotype specification.