Developmental analysis of ceruloplasmin gene and liver formation in zebrafish

Formation of the liver in zebrafish has been analyzed during normal embryog enesis using ceruloplasmin (Cp) as a specific marker. The asymmetric expres sion of Cp has been detected in dorsal endoderm at 16 hpf and later in the early hepatic cells in the yolk sac. The liver primordium can be detected a fter 32 hpf. In oep(-/-) mutant, which lacks dorsal endoderm, the liver fai ls to form. In the notochordless flh(-/-) mutant, the asymmetry of the live r has been lost. Therefore the notochord, dorsal endoderm and endoderm of t he yolk sac play a role in liver formation in zebrafish. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.